Qiongyu Huang, Ph.D., M.S.

Qiongyu Huang is a wildlife biologist at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute's (SCBI) Conservation Ecology Center. As a physical geographer by training, Huang specializes in utilizing geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing and spatial analysis to analyze various spatial data. He is particularly interested in understanding landscape level, continental-scale wildlife-habitat dynamics using state of the art satellite remote sensing data and novel species distribution models.

Huang's current projects include understanding the spatial distribution and climate change impact of giant pandas, mapping forest habitat in biodiverse regions, understanding the socioeconomic drivers of large-scale land cover land use change pattern, and developing novel ways to analyze GPS-tracked animal movement data to inform wildlife conservation.

Huang is committed to GIS and conservation capacity building in different reserves and protected areas around the world. He also coordinates and teaches spatial ecology training course offered at Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation. He believes that disseminating conservation science knowledge will benefit conservation practices on the ground tremendously.
Huang earned his bachelor's degree in biotechnology from Zhejiang University. He also holds a master's degree in conservation biology and sustainable development and a doctorate in geographical sciences from the University of Maryland. He also held a pre-doctoral research fellow position at SCBI between 2014 and 2015. His doctoral dissertation focused on continental scale avian biodiversity distribution and the long-term change of avian distribution in North America using Breeding Bird Survey data.