Ph.D., Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, August 2013
B.S., Marine Administration, Ocean University of China, June 2007
High latitude ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions
Polar climate change
Coupled physical-biogeochemical oceanic processes
Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, since January 2025
Associate Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2019 to 2024
Assistant Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2014 to 2018
RESEARCH PROJECTS
1. Influence of the Southern Annular Mode on the Variations of Water Mass Dynamics and Distributions in the Western Antarctic Peninsula Region, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01/2019-12/2022, 620,000 RMB, PI
2. Forcing Mechanisms and Biological Transports of Circulations in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01/2015-12/2017, 250,000 RMB, PI
3. Data Synthesis and Analysis for the Development of Remote Sensing Models for Southern Ocean and Antarctica, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources of China, 01/2020-12/2020, 160,000 RMB, PI
4. Temporal Variations of the Bransfield Strait Current and the Mechanisms, State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, 03/2014-03/2015, 100,000 RMB, PI
5. Ice-Sea dynamics and Ecosystem Gradients in the Western Antarctica, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01/2020-12/2023, 3,070,000 RMB, major participant
6. Collaborative Studies of Two Resource Ecosystems in Shelf, Slope and Oceanic Regions of the Norwegian and South-China Seas (STRESSOR), National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01/2019-12/2021, 2,400,000 RMB, major participant (co-chief-scientist for the joint Norway-China cruise)
7. Coupled Advection-Dispersion-Transformation Processes of the Yangtze River Plume, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 01/2016-12/2020, 3,560,000 RMB, major participant (chief scientist for 2 project cruises)
8. Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainable Utilization of biological Resources on the South China Sea Slope, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, 01/2014-12/2018, 13,640,000 RMB, major participant
9. Joint Sino-Germany Research Project: Megacity’s Fingerprint in Chinese Southern Marginal Seas: Investigations of Pollutant Fingerprints and Dispersal in Pearl River and northern South China Sea, State Oceanic Administration of China, 04/2017-12/2020, 3,500,000 RMB, major participant.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS（* denotes corresponding author）
1) Xie#, C., Zhang*, Z., Chen, Y., Wang, C. (2025). Substantial Contraction of Dense Shelf Water in the Ross Sea under Future Climate Scenarios. Geophysical Research Letters, 52, e2024GL112581.
2) Ye#, S., Zhang*, Z., Vihma, T., Jiang, M., Xie, C., Yu, L., Smith Jr., W.O. (2025). Large-Scale Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions Drive Phytoplankton Accumulation in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 130, e2024JC021354.
3) Zhang*, Z., Xie, C., Wang, C.., Chen, Y., Hu, H., Wang, X. (2025). The Ross Sea and Amundsen Sea Ice–Sea Model (RAISE v1.0): a high-resolution ocean–sea ice–ice shelf coupling model for simulating the Dense Shelf Water and Antarctic Bottom Water in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Geoscientific Model Development, 18, 1375-1393.
4) Zhang, Z.*, C. Xie, P. Castagno, M. England, X. Wang, M.S. Dinniman, A. Silvano, C. Wang, L. Zhou, X. Li, M. Zhou, and G. Budillon (2024). Evidence for large-scale climate forcing of dense shelf water variability in the Ross Sea. Nature Communications, 15, 8190.
5) Xie#, C., Z. Zhang*, Y. Chen, C. Wang, and M. Zhou (2024). The Response of Ross Sea Shelf Water Properties to Enhanced Amundsen Sea Ice Shelf Melting. The response of Ross Sea shelf water properties to enhanced Amundsen Sea ice shelf melting. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129, e2024JC020919.
6) Huang, H., K. Zhang, Z. Zhang, W. O. Smith Jr., J. he, N. Liu, and C. Le* (2024). Revisiting winter Southern Ocean CO2 uptake based on CALIPSO observations. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(12), e2024GL108335.
7) Li, S., Y. Zhong*, M. Zhou, H. Wu, Y. Gao, P. Zhou, Y. Wang, Z. Zhang, and H. Zhang (2024). The Summer Kuroshio Intrusion into the East China Sea Revealed by a New Mixed-Layer Water Mass Analysis. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129(4), e2023JC020827.
8) Jiang#, N., Z. Zhang*, R. Zhang, C. Wang, and M. Zhou (2024). The Connection of Phytoplankton Biomass in the Marguerite Bay Polynya of the Western Antarctic Peninsula to the Southern Annular Mode. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 43, 35-47.
9) Wang, C., Z. Zhang*, Z. Zhong, and M. Zhou (2024). A Model Study of Buoyancy Driven Cross-Isobath Transport Over the Ross Sea Continental Shelf Break. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129(1), e2023JC020078.
10) Chen#, Y., Z. Zhang*, X. Wang, H., Liu, and M. Zhou (2023). Interannual variations of heat budget in the lower layer of the eastern Ross Sea shelf and the forcing mechanisms in the Southern Ocean State Estimate. International Journal of Climatology, 43(11), 5050–5076.
11) Wang#, X., Z. Zhang*, M.S. Dinniman, P. Uotila, X. Li, and M. Zhou (2023). The response of sea ice and high-salinity shelf water in the Ross Ice Shelf Polynya to cyclonic atmosphere circulations. The Cryosphere, 17, 1107–1126.
12) Dong, H., M. Zhou*, R. Raj, W. Smith Jr., S. Basedow, R. Ji, C. Ashjian, Z. Zhang, and Z. Hu (2022). Surface chlorophyll anomalies induced by mesoscale eddy-wind interactions in the northern Norwegian Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 870021.
13) Dong, H., M. Zhou*, W. Smith Jr., B. Li, Z. Hu, S. Basedow, F. Gaardsted, Z. Zhang, and Y. Zhong (2022). Dynamical controls of the eastward transport of overwintering Calanus finmarchicus from the Lofoten Basin to the continental slope. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127(9), e2022JC018909.
14) Huang, C., H. Liu*, X. Wang, H. Li, Z. Zhang, J. Zuo, and R. Wang (2022). PDO modulation on the relationship between ENSO and typhoon tracks. Journal of Climate, 35(20), 3103–3120.
15) Li#, S., Z. Zhang*, M. Zhou*, C. Wang, H. Wu, and Y. Zhong (2022). The role of fronts in horizontal transports of the Changjiang River Plume in summer and the implications for phytoplankton blooms. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127(8), e2022JC018541.
16) Chen, K., M. Zhou*, Y. Zhong, J. Waniek, C. Shan, and Z. Zhang (2022). Effects of mixing and stratification on the vertical distribution and size spectrum of zooplankton on the shelf and slope of the northern South China Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 870021.
17) Su#. Z., Z. Zhang*, Y. Zhu and M. Zhou* (2022). Long-Term Warm–Cold Phase Shifts in the Gerlache Strait, Western Antarctic Peninsula. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 877043.
18) Wei#, Z., Z. Zhang*, X. Wang, Y. Chen, and M. Zhou (2022). The thermodynamic and dynamic control of the sensible heat polynya in the western Cosmonaut Sea. Deep-Sea Research II, 195, 105000.
19) T. Liu, Z. Wang*, M. Shokr, R. Lei, and Z. Zhang (2022). An assessment of sea ice motion products in the Robeson Channel using daily Sentinel-1 images. Remote Sensing, 14(2), 329.
20) Wei#, Z., Z. Zhang*, T. Vihma, X. Wang, and Y. Chen (2021). An overview of Antarctic coastal polynyas: sea ice production, forcing mechanisms, temporal variability and water mass formation. Advances in Polar Science, 32(4), 292–308.
21) Li, S., Y. Zhong*, M. Zhou, H. Wu, Z. Zhang, B. Li, and Y. Gao (2021). Mixed layer water mass analysis on the East China Sea inner shelf. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 261, 107561.
22) Wang, X., Y. Wu*, H. Wu, G. Zhang, J. Jin, L. Qi, X. Guo, J. Dai, Z. Zhang, and M. Zhou (2021). Organic carbon production and nutrients consumption revealed by mixing model in the energetic Changjiang Estuary. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 260, 107491.
23) Dong, H., M. Zhou*, Z. Hu, Z. Zhang, Y. Zhong, S. Basedow, and W. Smith Jr. (2021). Transport barriers and the retention of Calanus finmarchicus on the Lofoten shelf in early spring. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126(8), e2021JC017408.
24) Wang#, X., Z. Zhang*, X. Wang, T. Vihma, M. Zhou, L. Yu, P. Uotila, and D.V. Sein (2021). Impacts of strong wind events on sea ice and water mass properties in Antarctic coastal polynyas. Climate Dynamics, 57, 3505–3528.
25) Zhong, Y.*, M. Zhou, J. Waniek, L. Zhou, and Z. Zhang (2021). Seasonal variation of the surface Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea evidenced by satellite geostrophic streamlines. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 51(8), 2705–2718.
26) Yu, L.*, S. Zhong, C. Sui, Z. Zhang, and B. Sun (2021). Synoptic mode of Antarctic summer sea ice superimposed on interannual and decadal variability. Advances in Climate Change Research, 12, 147–161.
27) An, C.*, S. Hou*, S. Jiang, Y. Li, T. Ma, M. A. J. Curran, H. Pang, Z. Zhang, W. Zhang, J. Yu, K. Liu, G. Shi, and H. Ma (2021). The previously reported long term cooling trend in East Antarctic Plateau during the past 2000 years is not robust. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(7), e2021GL092923.
28) Jiang, S.*, J. Jin, G. Zhang, Y. Chang, Z. Zhang, M. Zhou, X. Wang, J. Zhang, and Y. Wu (2021). Nitrate in the Changjiang Diluted Water: an isotopic evaluation on sources and reaction pathways. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 39, 830–845.
29) Chang, Y.*, Y. Wu, Z. Zhang, X. Wang, S. Jiang, W. Cao, X. Wang, J. Qu, Z. Zhang, J. Jin, and M. Zhou (2021). Effects of algal blooms on selenium species dynamics: A case study in the Changjiang Estuary. Science of the Total Environment, 768, 144235.
30) Zhang, Z. *, M. Zhou*, Y. Zhong, Y. Gao, G. Zhang, S. Jiang, R. Zhang, and W. Smith Jr (2020). Spatial variations of phytoplankton biomass controlled by river plume dynamics in the lower Changjiang Estuary and adjacent shelf based on high-resolution observations. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, 587539.
31) Zhang, Z.*, E. Hofmann, M. Dinniman, C. Reiss, W. Smith Jr, and M. Zhou (2020). Linkage of the physical environments in the northern Antarctic Peninsula region to the Southern Annular Mode and the implications for the phytoplankton production. Progress in Oceanography, 188, 102146.
32) Deng, G., Z. Zhang, Y. Li*, H. Liu, and Y. Pan (2020). Prospective of development of large-scale tidal current turbine array: an example numerical investigation of Zhejiang, China. Applied Energy, 264, 114621.
33) Cheng, Z., M. Zhou*, Y. Zhong, Z. Zhang, H. Liu, and L. Zhou (2020). Statistical characteristics of mesoscale eddies on the continental slope in the northern South China Sea. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 39,1–9.
34) Wang#, Z., Z. Zhang*, M. Zhou, H. Liu, Y. Zhong, and X. Wang (2020). Seasonal linkage of the Southern Hemisphere extratropical climate variability to two types of ENSO. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, 39, 63–73 (Journal cover paper).
35) Uotila, P.*, H. Goosse, K. Haines, M. Chevallier, A. Bathelemy, C. Bricaud, J. Carton, N. Fuckar, G. Garric, D. Iovino, F. Kauker, M. Korhonen, V. Lien, M. Marnela, F. Massonnet, D. Mignac, K.A. Peterson, R. Sadikhi, L. Shi, S. Tietsche, T. Toyoda, J. Xie, and Z. Zhang (2018). An assessment of ten ocean reanalyses in the polar regions. Climate Dynamics, 50(3–4), 1451–1470.
36) Pan, L., Y. Zhong*, H. Liu, L. Zhou, Z. Zhang, and M. Zhou (2018). Seasonal variation of barrier layer in the Southern Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123, 2238–2253.
37) Li, D., M. Zhou*, Z. Zhang, Y. Zhong, Y. Zhu, C. Yang, M. Xu, D. Xu, and Z. Hu (2018). Intrusions of Kuroshio and shelf waters on northern slope of South China Sea in summer 2015. Journal of Ocean University of China, 17, 477–486.
38) Du#, G., Z. Zhang*, M. Zhou, Y. Zhu, and Y. Zhong (2018). The upper 1000-m slope currents north of the South Shetland Islands and Elephant Island based on ship cruise observations. Journal of Ocean University of China, 17(2), 420–432.
39) Zhang, Z.*, P. Uotila, A. Stössel, T. Vihma, H. Liu, and Y. Zhong (2018). Seasonal southern hemisphere multi-variable reflection of the southern annular mode in atmosphere and ocean reanalyses. Climate Dynamics, 50(3–4), 1451–1470.
40) Li, X.*, Z. Zhang, T. Wade, A. Knap, and C. Zhang (2017). Sources and compositional distribution of organic carbon in surface sediments from the lower Pearl River to the coastal South China Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 122(8), 2104–2117.
41) Zhang, Z.*, T. Vihma, A. Stössel, and P. Uotila (2015). The role of wind forcing from operational analyses for the model representation of Antarctic coastal sea ice. Ocean Modelling, 94, 95–111.
42) Zhang, Z.*, R. D. Hetland, and X. Zhang (2014). Wind-modulated buoyancy circulation over the Texas-Louisiana shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 119, 5705–5723.
43) Zhang, Z.* and R. D. Hetland (2012). A numerical study on convergence of alongshore flows over the Texas-Louisiana shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 117, C11010.
44) Li, X., T. S. Bianchi*, M. A. Allison, P. Chapman, S. Mitra, Z. Zhang, G. Yang, and Z. Yu (2012). Composition, abundance and age of total organic carbon in surface sediments from the inner shelf of the East China Sea. Marine Chemistry, 145–147, 37–52.
45) Stössel, A.*, Z. Zhang, and T. Vihma (2011). The effect of alternative real-time wind forcing on Southern Ocean sea-ice simulations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 116, C11021.
Courses taught
Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Physical Oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography Fieldwork
Academic Writing
Seminar
Marine Microbiology
Advising students
Committee chair for:
Yuanjie Chen, Ph.D. candidate, 2019 to present
Xiaoqiao Wang, Ph.D. candidate, 2018 to present
Zheng Wei, M.S. candidate, 2019 to present
Jia Huang, M.S. candidate, 2017 to present
Committee co-chair for:
Zhongpeng Wang, M. S., 2019
Weijie Wan, M. S., 2018
Guangqian Du, M. S., 2017
Denghui Li, M. S., 2017
Committee member for:
Chuan Xie, Ph. D. candidate, 2019 to present
Congwen Shan, Ph. D. candidate, 2015 to present
Shuangzhao Li, Ph. D. candidate, 2017 to present
Zhiqiang Su, Ph. D. candidate, 2017 to present
Academic service
Associate Editor, Journal of Marine Systems, since 2024
Managing Ediror, Journal of Marine Systems, 2020-2024
Editorial Board member, Acta Oceanologica Sinica, since 2024
Associate Editor, Advances in Polar Science, since 2025
2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting Vice Chair Committee, American Geophysical Union, 2020
AGU Advances Editor-in-Chief Search Committee member, 2019
Peer reviewers
Nature Review Earth & Environment
Science Advances
Geophysical Research Letters
Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
The Cryosphere
Ocean Modelling
Journal of Marine Systems
Ocean Dynamics
Journal of Meteorological Research
Acta Oceanologica Sinica
Advances in Polar Science
Teaching Award, first class, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2024
Teaching Award, first class, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2021
Teaching Award, second class, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2020
Teaching Award, second class, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2019
