VIMS
Directory Page Title

Jian Shen

Research Professor

Email: [[shen]]
Phone: (804) 684-7359
Office: Andrews Hall 231
Section: Coastal & Ocean Processes

Education
  • B.S., Shanghai Teacher's University
  • M.A., College of William and Mary
  • Ph.D., College of William and Mary
Research Interests

Estuarine circulation and pollutant transport processes; transport timescale; numerical model development and simulations of hydrodynamics and water quality in estuaries and coastal seas; inverse modeling of estuarine water quality; data model and machine learning

Current and Recent Projects
  • CBP 2025 Tidal Water Model for the Assessment of 2035 Climate Change Risk to the Chesapeake TMDL (EPA).
  • Apply a Particle Tracking Model to Analyze Impacts of Water Intake on Ichthyoplankton Mortality in the Appomattox and the James Rivers (Chesterfield County).
  • Thalia Creek Environmental Study and Enhancement of Water Quality Condition (HRSD).
  • James River Water Quality Model Refinement and Scenario Runs (VADEQ)
  • Development of PCB TMDLs for Conowingo Pool and Low Susquehanna River of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland (MDE)
  • Modeling Bacterial and Virus Distribution in Water and Accumulation in Oyster from Wastewater Treatment Plant in the James River (HRSD)
  • Development of a Numerical Model and Nutrient TMDLs for Linganore Lake (MDE)
  • Norfolk, Virginia, Federal Flood Risk Management Study (Moffatt and Nichol).
  • Assessment of Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Impacts for Channel Deepening in the Atlantic Ocean, Thimble Shoals, Norfolk Harbor, and Elizabeth River Channels (Virginia Port Authority)
  • Collaborative Research: Multiscale Modeling of Oyster Reef Dynamics (NSF).
  • Coastal SEES (Track1), Collaborative: Chesapeake Bay Sustainability: Implications of changing climate and shifting management objectives (NSF).
  • Modeling Support for James River Chlorophyll Study (VADEQ).

Jian Shen on Google Scholar 

Selected Publications

Shen, J., Du, J., Lucas, L. 2022. Relationships between residence time and annual nutrient retention, export, and loading for estuaries. Limnology and Oceanography, doi.org/10.1002/lno.12045.

Xiong, J., Shen, J. 2022. Vertical Transport Timescale of Surface-Produced Particulate Material in the Chesapeake Bay. JGR Ocean, doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017592.

Qin, Q., Shen, J., 2021. Typical relationships between phytoplankton biomass and transport time in river-dominated coastal aquatic systems. Journal: Limnology and Oceanography,doi.org/10.1002/lno.11874.

Qin, Q., Shen, J., Reed, K., Mulholland, MR. 2021. Developing a 3D mechanistic model for examining factors contributing to harmful blooms of Margalefidinium polykrikoides in a temperate estuary. Harmful Algae, 105, 102055, doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2021.102055.

Xiong, J., Shen, J., Qin, Q., Du, J. 2021. Water exchange and its relationships with external forcings and residence time in Chesapeake Bay, Journal of Marine System 215,103497, org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2020.103497.

Xiong, J., Shen, J., Qin, Q. 2021. Exchange flow and material transport along the salinity gradient of a long estuary. JGR.  doi.org/10.1029/2021JC017185.

Cai, X, Shen, J., Zhang, Y.J., Qin, Q., Wang, Z., Wang, H. 2021. Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Hypoxia and Phytoplankton Production in Chesapeake Bay: Model Prediction and Assessment. of the American Water Resources Association. doi. org/10.1111/1752-1688.12921.

Cai, X, Zhang, Y.J., Shen, J., Wang, H., Wang, Z., Qin, Q., Ye, F. 2021. A numerical study in Chesapeake Bay using an unstructured grid model: validation and sensitivity to bathymetry representation. J. of the American Water Resources Association, doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12887.

Yu, X., Shen, J., Du, 2021. An inverse approach to estimate bacterial loading into an estuary by using field observations and residence time. Marine Environmental Research 166, 105263,doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105263.

Yu, X., Shen, J., Du, J. 2020. A machine-learning-based model for water quality in coastal waters, taking dissolved oxygen and hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay as an example. Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2020WR027227.

Shen, J., Qin, Q., Wang, Y., Sisson, M., 2019. A data-driven modeling approach for simulating algal blooms in the tidal freshwater of James River in response to riverine nutrient loading, Ecological Modelling 398, 44-54.

Qin, Q., Shen, J. 2019. Pelagic contribution to gross primary production dynamics in shallow areas of York River, VA, U.S.A. L&O. 9999, 2019, 1–16, doi: 10.1002/lno.11129.

Du, J., Shen, J., Park, K., Wang, Y., Yu, X., 2018. Worsened physical condition due to climate change contributes to the increasing hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay. Science of the Total Environment 630 (2018) 707–717.

Du, J., Shen, J., Zhang, Y., Ye, F., Liu,Z., Wang, Z., Wang, YP., Yu, X., Sisson, M., Wang, H. 2018.  Tidal response to sea‐level rise in different types of estuaries: the importance of length, bathymetry, and geometry. Geophysical Research Letter. DOI: 1002/2017GL075963.

Du, J., Shen, J. 2017. Transport of riverine material from multiple rivers in the Chesapeake Bay: Important control of estuarine circulation on the material distribution. JGR Biogeosciences, 122,2998-3013, doi.org/10.1002/2016JG003707

Qin, Q., Shen, J. 2017. The contribution local and transport processes to phytoplankton biomass variability over different timescales in the Upper James River, Virginia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 196, 123-133, DOI :0.1016/j.ecss.2017.06.037.

Du, J., Shen, J. 2016. Water residence time in Chesapeake Bay for 1980–2012. Journal of Marine System, 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2016.08.011.

Shen, J., Wang, Y., Sisson, M. 2016. Development of the hydrodynamic model for long-term Simulation of water quality processes of the tidal James River, Virginia. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. J. Mar. Sci. Eng.4(4), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse4040082.

Du, J., Shen, J. 2015. Decoupling the influence of biological and physical processes on the dissolved oxygen in the Chesapeake Bay. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 120, doi:10.1002/2014JC010422.

Shen, J. B. Hong, Kuo, A. 2013. Using timescales to interpret dissolved oxygen distributions in the bottom waters of Chesapeake Bay. Limnology and Oceanography,58(6), 2237-2248 (doi:10.4319/lo.2013.58.6.2237).

Hong, B., Shen, J. 2013. Linking dynamics of transport timescale and variations of hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay. JGR, 118. 1-13 ( doi:10.1002/2013JC008859).

Shen, J., Hong, B., Schugam, L., Zhao, Y., White, J. 2012. Modeling of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in the Baltimore Harbor. Ecological modeling, 242, 54-68 (doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.05.025).

Shen, J., Zhao, Y. 2010. Combined Bayesian statistics and load duration curve method for bacteria nonpoint source loading estimation. Water Research, 44, 77-84.

Shen, J., Gong, W. 2009. Influence of model domain size, wind directions and Ekman transport on storm surge development inside the Chesapeake Bay: a case study of extratropical cyclone Ernesto. Journal of Marine Systems, 75, 198-215.

Shen, J., Wang, T., Herman, J., Mason, P., Arnold, G.L. 2008. Hypoxia in a Coastal Embayment of the Chesapeake Bay: A Model Diagnostic Study of Oxygen Dynamics. Estuaries and Coastal, 31,652-663.

Shen, J., Gong, W., Wang, H.V. 2006. Water level response to 1999 hurricane Floyd in the Chesapeake Bay. Continental Self Research 26: 2484-2502 doi:10.1016/j.csr.2006.07.02 ).

Shen, J. 2006. Optimal Estimation of Parameters for an Estuarine Eutrophication Model. Ecological Modelling 191:521-537.

Shen, J., Haas, L. 2004. Calculating Age and Residence Time in the Tidal York River Using Three-Dimensional Model Experiments. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 61: 449-461.

Current Students
  • Jilian Xiong, Ph.D. Student
  • Nicole Cai, Ph.D. Student  (co-advising with Joseph Zhang)
  • Xin Yu, Ph.D. Student
Past Students
  • Qubin Qin, Ph.D. 2019,  Impacts of physical transport on estuarine phytoplankton dynamics and
    harmful algal blooms. 
  • Jiabi Du, Ph.D. 2017, Impact of climate variation and human adaptation on the physical transport processes and water exchange in Chesapeake Bay
  • Xun Cai, M.S. 2018 (co-advising with Joseph Zhang), Impact of submerged aquatic vegetation on water quality in Cache Slough Complex, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: a numerical modeling study
  • Qubin Qin, M.S. 2012, A Study of Vertical Patterns and Mechanisms of Along-Channel Estuarine Circulation
  • Jie Huang, Ph.D. 2010 (co-advising with Dr. Carl Hershner) Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Fecal Coliform Distribution in Virginia Coastal Waters.
  • Yuepeng Li, Ph.D. 2006 (co-advised with Dr. Harry Wang), Development of an unstructured grid, finite volume eutrophication model for the shallow water coastal bay: Application in the Lynnhaven River Inlet system
  • Taiping Wang, M.S. 2005 (co-advised with Dr. Harry Wang), Hypoxia in shallow coastal waters: a case study in Onancock Creek, Virginia
Faculty Awards
  • 2020 Excellence in Mentoring Award

  • 2018 Outstanding Faculty Advisory Service Award

  • A member of the Lynnhaven River Oyster Recovery Team to Receive the Coastal America Partnership Award of 2009