Qu Zhou

Ph.D. candidate at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email: quzhou2@illinois.edu


University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences

[Google Scholar] [GitHub] [ResearchGate] [ORCID]

About Me

I'm currently a Ph.D. candidate in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Before that, I received my B.E. in Remote Sensing Science and Technology in 2018 and M.E. in Computer Technology in 2020 from Wuhan University (WHU). My research focuses on using remote sensing and advanced process-based/data-driven models to retrieve agroecosystem information for global food security and agroecosystem sustainability.

Research Interest

Education

Publications

Journals: (* denotes the Corresponding Author)

    [20] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.*; Wang, S.*; Hipple, J.; Chen, Z. "From satellite-based phenological metrics to crop planting dates: deriving field-level crop planting dates in the U.S. Midwest" ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2024. [Link]

    [19] Zhou, Q.; Wang, S.*; Liu, N; Townsend, P.; Jiang, C.; Peng, B.; Verhoef, W.; Guan, K*. "Towards operational atmospheric correction of airborne hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy: Algorithm evaluation, key parameter analysis, and machine learning emulators" ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2023. [Link]

    [18] Wang, S.*; Guan, K.*; Zhang, C; Zhou, Q.; Wang, S.; Wu, X.; Jiang, C.; Peng, B.; Mei, W.; Li, K.; Li, Z.; Yang Y.; Zhou, W.; Huang, Y.; Ma, Z. "Cross-scale sensing of field-level crop residue cover: integrating field photos, airborne hyperspectral imaging, and satellite data" Remote Sensing of Environment, 2023. [Link]

    [17] Wang, S.*; Guan, K.*; Zhang, C; Jiang, C.; Zhou, Q.; Li, K.; Qin, Z.; Ainsworth, E.; He, J.; Wu, J.; Sheafer, D.; Gentry, L.; Margenot J.; Herzberger, L. "Airborne hyperspectral imaging of cover crops through radiative transfer process-guided machine learning" Remote Sensing of Environment, 2023. [Link]

    [16] Wang, S.*; Guan, K.*; Zhang, C; Lee, D.; Margenot, J.; Ge, Y.; Peng, J.; Zhou, W.; Zhou, Q.; Huang, Y. "Using soil library hyperspectral reflectance and machine learning to predict soil organic carbon: assessing potential of airborne and spaceborne optical soil sensing" Remote Sensing of Environment, 2022. [Link]

    [15] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.*; Wang, S.*; Jiang, C.; Huang, Y.; Peng, B.; Chen, Z.; Wang, S.B.; Hipple, J.; Schaefer, D.; Qin, Z.; Stroebel, S.; Coppess, J.; Khanna, M.; Cai, Y. "Recent rapid increase of cover crop adoption across the U.S. Midwest detected by fusing multi-source satellite data" Geophysical Research Letters, 2022. [Link]

    [14] Deines, J.*; Guan, K.; Lopez, B; Zhou, Q.; White, C.; Wang, S.; Lobell, D*. "Recent cover crop adoption is associated with small maize and soybean yield losses in the United States" Global Change Biology, 2022. [Link]

    [13] Zhou, Q.; Wang, J.; Tian, L.*; Li, J.; Feng L.; Xing, Q. "Remotely sensed water turbidity dynamics and its potential driving factors in an urbanizing city" Journal of Hydrology, 2021. [Link]

    [12] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.; Li, J.*; Wu, H.; Zeng, Q. "Radiometric Cross-Calibration of Large-view-angle Satellite Sensors using Optimal Estimation to Reduce BRDF Influence" IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2020. [Link]

    [11] Sun, X.; Liu, J.; Wang, J.; Tian, L.*; Zhou, Q.; Li, J. "Integrated monitoring of lakes’ turbidity in Wuhan, China during the COVID-19 epidemic using multi-sensor satellite observations" International Journal of Digital Earth, 2020. [Link]

    [10] Zhou, Q.; Liu, J.; Wang, J.; Deng, S.; Tian L*. "Water turbidity monitoring of Zhiyin and Huangjia lakes in Wuhan for the 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia using HY-1C CZI data" Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University, 2020 (Full paper in Chinese and abstract in English). [Link]

    [09] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.*; Li, J.; Song, Q.; Wei, A. "Coupled Approach for Radiometric Calibration and Parameter Retrieval to Improve Water Quality Estimations in Turbid Inland/Coastal Waters" Optical Express, 2020. [Link]

    [08] Zhou, Q.; Sun, X.; Li, J.; Tian, L*. "Grouping-Based Time-Series Model for Monitoring of Fall Peak Coloration Dates Using Satellite Remote Sensing Data" Remote Sensing, 2020. [Link]

    [07] Wang, T.*; Li, X.; Tian, L.; Chen, Z.; Li, Z.; Zhang, G.; Li, D.; Shen, X.; Li, X.; Jiang, B.; Zhou, Q.; Deng, S. Wang, J.; Zhu, H. "Space Remote Sensing Dynamic Monitoring for Urban Complex" Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University, 2020 (Full paper in Chinese and abstract in English). [Link]

    [06] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.; Li, W.; Li, J*. "Assessment of bidirectional reflectance effects on desert and forest for radiometric cross-calibration of satellite sensors" ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2019. [Link]

    [05] Li W.; Tian L*.; Li J.; Zhou, Q.; Li Y.; Li S. "Impact of Natural and Anthropogenic Changes on the Spatial–Temporal Variations of Total Suspended Matter in the Pearl River Estuary, China" Journal of Coastal Research, 2019. [Link]

    [04] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.; Song, Q.; Li, W.; Li, J*. "Radiometric Cross-Calibration of Tiangong-2 MWI Visible/NIR Channels over Aquatic Environments using MODIS" Remote Sensing, 2018. [Link]

    [03] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.; Wai, O.W.H.; Li, J*.; Sun, Z.; Li, W. "Impacts of Insufficient Observations on the Monitoring of Short- and Long-Term Suspended Solids Variations in Highly Dynamic Waters, and Implications for an Optimal Observation Strategy" Remote Sensing, 2018. [Link]

    [02] Zhou, Q.; Tian, L.; Wai, O.W.H.; Li, J*.; Sun, Z.; Li, W. "High-Frequency Monitoring of Suspended Sediment Variations for Water Quality Evaluation at Deep Bay, Pearl River Estuary, China: Influence Factors and Implications for Sampling Strategy" Water, 2018. [Link]

    [01] Li, J*.; Zhou, Q.; Chen, X.; Tian, L.; Li, T. "Spatial Scale Study on Quantitative Remote Sensing of Highly Dynamic Coastal/Inland Waters" Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University, 2018 (Full paper in Chinese and abstract in English). [Link]

Submitted

    [07] Zhou, Q*.; Guan, K*; Wang, S*.; Hipple,J.; Chen, Z. "Towards phenology-based field-level planting date detection of winter wheat in the United States: addressing potential crop dormancy" Remote Sensing of Environment.

    [06] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K*; Wang, S*.; Wu, X.; Stroebel, S.; Hipple, S. "Assessment of field-level cover cropping detection using Harmonized Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2, MODIS, and PlanetScope" ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

    [05] Lobell, D*.; Tommaso, S.; Zhou, Q.; Ma, Y.; Specht, J.; Guan, K. "Running for cover: The mixed effects of recent cover crop adoption on U.S. cropland productivity" Nature Sustainability.

    [04] Wu, X.; Zhou, Q.; Guan, K*.; Wang, S*.; Hipple, J.; Peng, B.; Chen, Z.; Hu, T.; Qin, R. "A generic framework to detect tillage practices from space: a demonstration in the US Midwest" Remote Sensing of Environment.

    [03] Zhao, K.; Guan, K*.; Zhou, Q.; Wang, SB.; Huang, Y.; Wang, S.; Schwing, A. "STAIR-Tr: Transformer-based gap filling for multi-source satellite data fusion" IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

    [02] Zhou, W*.; Guan, K.; Peng, B.; Hu, T.; Liu, L., Jiang, C.; Huang, Y.; Zhou, Q.;Zhang, J.; Cai, G., Wang, S*. "Knowledge-guided machine learning to quantify field-level crop planting dates and their impact on yield in the US Midwest" Global Change Biology.

    [01] Deng, Y.; Peng, B*.; Guan, K*.; Runkle, B.; Moreno-García, B., Wu, X.; Wang, S.; Zhou, Q.; Reba, M. "Detecting the onset of rice field inundation in the Lower Mississippi River Basin via Harmonized Landsat/Sentinel-2 (HLS) satellite time series" ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing.

Selected Conferences/Proceedings

    [07] Coppess, J.; Das, A.; Xu, Y.; Li, Q.; Shuai, S.; Wang, S.; Zhou, Q.; Peng, B.; Boparai, K.; Guan, K. "Research & Conservation: Reviewing the Illinois Dust Storm of 2023" farmdoc daily, 2025. [Link]

    [06] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.; Wang, S. "Field-level detection of planting dates for winter wheat in the United States" AGU Fall Meeting, in Washington DC, USA, 2024. (Poster)

    [05] Zhou, Q.; Wang, S.; Guan, K. "Advancing airborne hyperspectral data processing and application for sustainable agriculture using RTM-based machine learning" IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, in Pasadena, CA, USA, 2023. (Oral) [Link]

    [04] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.; Wang, S. "Phenology-guided spatiotemporal fusion of vegetation index time series for summer and winter crops in the U.S." AGU Fall Meeting, in San Francisco, CA, USA, 2023. (Oral) [Link]

    [03] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.; Wang, S. "From satellite-based phenological metrics to crop planting dates: deriving field-level crop planting dates in the U.S. Midwest " AGU Fall Meeting, in San Francisco, CA, USA, 2023. (Oral) [Link]

    [02] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.; Wang, S.; Jiang, C.; Peng, B.; Huang, Y. "Quantifying field-level cover cropping in the U.S. Midwest using multi-source satellite data" AGU Fall Meeting, in Chicago, IL, USA, 2022. (Poster) [Link]

    [01] Zhou, Q.; Guan, K.; Wang, S.; Jiang, C.; Cai, Y. "Mapping cover crop practices at the field level across the U.S. Corn Belt since 2001 to the present using multi-source satellite Earth Observation data" AGU Fall Meeting, in New Orleans, LA, USA, 2021. (Poster) [Link]

Grants

  • NASA: Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST), $150,000, 2022
  • ESA: Network of Resources (NoR) Sponsorship, €1500, 2022

Services

Membership:

  • AGU, Student Member
  • IEEE, Student Member

Journal Reviewer:

  • Remote Sensing of Environment
  • ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
  • Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
  • Journal of Hydrology
  • Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
  • Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
  • International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation
  • Journal of Environmental Management
  • European Journal of Agronomy
  • Smart Agricultural Technology
  • Journal of Cleaner Production
  • Science of the Total Environment
  • Ecological Indicators
  • Agronomy Journal
  • Optical Express
  • Science of Remote Sensing
  • Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment
  • International Soil and Water Conservation Research
  • Environmental Advances
  • Journal of Engineering and Applied Science

Awards

  • 2023, NRES Graduate Student Award for Research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • 2022, Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) Fellowship, NASA
  • 2022, Network of Resources (NoR) Sponsorship, ESA
  • 2020, Outstanding Graduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2020, Zhonghaida Scholarship, Wuhan University
  • 2019, National Scholarship for Graduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2019, Freshman Scholarship for Graduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2018, Outstanding Undergraduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2018, Remote Sensing Constellation, Wuhan University
  • 2017, First Prize of Academic Scholarship, Wuhan University
  • 2016, National Scholarship for Undergraduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2015, Merit student, Wuhan University
  • 2016, National First Prize of Contemporary Undergraduate Mathematical Contest in Modeling, China Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
  • 2016, Innovation Prize of Mapgis Contest, China Association for Geospatial Industry and Sciences
  • 2015, National Scholarship for Undergraduate Student, Wuhan University
  • 2015, Merit student, Wuhan University
  • 2014, Freshman Scholarship for Undergraduate Student, Wuhan University