Dr. Jin Liu

Dr. Jin Liu

Research fellow, University of Melbourne

About me

I am a research fellow at the University of Melbourne. My current research focuses on wave–mangrove interactions and hybrid living shorelines. I use SWAN and XBeach modelling, together with field measurements in New South Wales, to study these coastal systems.

My research interests span physical oceanography, coastal oceanography, ocean engineering, climate change and nature-based solutions, with a particular focus on ocean waves, ocean circulation, mesoscale eddies and sea surface temperature.

Appointments

  • 2024–present: Research fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia.
  • 2023–2024: Honorary fellow, University of Melbourne, Australia.
  • 2022–2024: Science officer, Victoria State Government, Australia.
  • 2019: Research assistant, Zhejiang University, China.
  • 2016: Intern, First Institute of Oceanography, China.
  • 2016: Intern, South China Sea Marine Survey and Technology Center, China.

Education

  • 2019–2023: PhD in physical oceanography, University of Melbourne, Australia.
    Thesis: Wave variability of Bass Strait and south-east Australia.
    Supervisors: Ian R. Young, Alexander V. Babanin and Alberto Meucci.

  • 2016–2019: MSc in physical oceanography, Zhejiang University, China.
    Thesis: Variations of cross-shelf volume transports and mesoscale eddy effects on chlorophyll in the northern South China Sea.
    Supervisor: Yeping Yuan.

  • 2012–2016: BSc in physical oceanography, Guangdong Ocean University, China.
    Thesis: Interannual variability of sea surface temperature and salinity in the South China Sea.

Publications

My publications and citation record are available on Google Scholar.

Data

Research projects

  • 2024–present: Australian Research Council Linkage Project: Improving the success of hybrid living shorelines for coastal protection.
  • 2019–2024: Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program.
  • 2019–2022: National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program): Evolution and transport of ideal river plumes under geostrophic conditions and its stratified turbulence, entrainment and mixing mechanisms.
  • 2018–2020: Analysis of physical environment in the western Pacific seamount.
  • 2017–2018: Open Fund of Second Institute of Oceanography of China: Interannual variations of shelf transport in the northern South China Sea based on satellite altimetry.
  • 2016–2017: Mesoscale eddies in the Kuroshio region.

Selected awards

  • 2022: Engineering and Information Technology Conference Travel Grant.
  • 2019: Melbourne Research Scholarship.
  • 2019: France Excellence Summer School Scholarship, funded by the French Embassy in China (25 recipients globally).
  • 2017: Best Student Presentation Award, 1st International Ocean Youth Camp.
  • 2017: Best Presentation Award, 25th PACON International Conference.

Skills

  • Ocean modelling: WAVEWATCH III, SWAN, XBeach and Delft3D.
  • Scientific computing: MATLAB, Python, Linux, high-performance computing and NetCDF.
  • Data analysis: extreme-value analysis, empirical orthogonal function analysis, empirical mode decomposition analysis and wavelet analysis.
  • Languages: English and Mandarin.

Teaching

  • 2023: Training for coastal scientists and engineers in the use of Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program Sites data products.
  • 2017–2018: Mentoring undergraduate students and supporting junior researchers in geophysical fluid dynamics at Zhejiang University.
  • 2017: Practical instruction for the Marine Science Internship, alongside training in scientific writing in English and reference management.

Surveys

  • 2025: Mangrove measurements in New South Wales, Australia.
  • 2022–2023: Bathymetric surveys in Port Phillip Bay, Australia.
  • 2016: Research cruise in the northern South China Sea, China.

Service

  • Editorial roles: review editor, Frontiers in Marine Science; young editorial board member, Ocean.

  • Conference service: AusYCSEC organising committee member (2025); AusYCSEC local hub chair (2023).

  • Peer review: Science Advances, Scientific Data, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, Ocean Modelling, Renewable Energy, Ocean Engineering, Environmental Research Letters, International Journal of Climatology, Progress in Oceanography, etc.

  • Professional memberships: Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, American Meteorological Society, Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and Australian Marine Sciences Association.

  • Outreach: University of Melbourne Open Day (2026).

Contact

Please contact me (jin.liu.prc@gmail.com) with any questions or to discuss potential collaborations.