Meet EPA Hydrologist Yongping Yuan, Ph.D.
EPA researcher Yongping Yuan works on watershed hydrology and water quality. She focuses on the occurrence, persistence and causation of sediment- and nutrient-impacted streams and waterbodies. This allows her to seek the most effective alternative practices that minimize the environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities and increase sustainability of surface and subsurface water resources.
Tell us about your background.
I received my Ph.D. degree in agricultural engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My Ph.D. work focused on the hydrologic processes and water quality of tile-drained watersheds. From this work, I have developed expertise in watershed management, hydrologic/water quality modeling, drainage, water quality monitoring, and water quality and best management practices. I received my M.S. and B.S. in water conservation and civil engineering at the Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. For my master’s thesis, I developed an expert system for guiding winter-wheat irrigation. I also worked in the areas of water-conserving agriculture and water-saving irrigation.
What are you working on right now?
One of my current projects is understanding the effectiveness of agricultural conservation practices and best management practices for water quality improvement and peak flow and flood mitigation in the Pacific Northwest in coordination with EPA Region 10.
When did you first know you wanted to work in environmental science?
One summer during elementary school, I visited my aunt and discovered that she was out of water. In fact, the whole village was out of water because it had not rained in a long time. My aunt took me to a well, the only source of water, and we waited in a long line for our turn. She then lowered me down to the bottom of the well and I literally fetched the water little by little until we had a quarter of the barrel-- solving water crises has always been in my mind since then. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I learned so much about agricultural nonpoint source pollution and how boosting agricultural production such as fertilizer and pesticide application can lead to environmental problems. I want to work on finding sustainable solutions in maintaining agricultural productivity while minimizing their adverse impacts on environment.
What do you like most about your job?
Water is essential to life! I am happy that I work on problems that can benefit all lives. I am thankful that I work for EPA. What I like the most is that I can propose and design my research to maximize benefit to society, based on my knowledge and experiences.
How does your science matter?
One of my recent accomplishments was evaluating the effectiveness of conservation practices for water quality improvement. Federal governments have spent millions of dollars implementing conservation practices for water quality improvement. Knowing how effective those practices are and which are the most effective provides guidance for future implementation so that improved environmental outcomes can be achieved with the limited funding available.
If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be doing?
I might be a surgeon since I also wanted to go to medical school during college planning.
What advice would you give a student interested in a career in science?
Dream big and start small. Start working on fundamental knowledge and developing a solid foundation in your chosen fields, reach out to your professors and ask them questions, seek research opportunities early on in college, work hard and thoroughly on any opportunities you may have, talk to your mentors, get feedback on what you do, attend professional meetings and network with professionals.
If you can have any superpower, what would you choose?
The power to heal suffering souls physically and mentally.
What do you think the coolest scientific discovery was and why?
The discovery and development of penicillin: ever since I can remember, my parents talked about how this amazing medicine treated my father’s tuberculosis when he was in his 20s. I was treated with the same medicine for pneumonia when I was five days old.
What do you think is our biggest scientific challenge in the next 20/50/100 years?
Climate adaptation.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the researcher alone. EPA does not endorse the opinions or positions expressed.