• I study Earth’s surface dynamics through the lens of geomorphology, hydrology, and environmental geography. My research integrates field surveying, remote (satellite and drone) sensing, and numerical modeling to investigate the forms and processes of rivers across spatial and temporal scales. By bridging detailed field observations with global, remote sensing-based analyses, my research seeks to better understand the past, present, and future of river systems in a changing world and to inform strategic water resource management and urban-rural development.

    My current research focuses on quantifying and modeling the morphological and hydraulic characteristics of alluvial rivers, particularly multi-channel systems, at regional and global scales, and on developing remote sensing-based methods to monitor sediment transport in rivers with limited or no gauge data in high-latitude (Tibetan Plateau) and high-altitude (Alaska) environments.

    Growing up in Nanjing along the lower Yangtze River, my fascination with rivers stems from the beauty and vitality of this great river. At Trinity, I am dedicated to taking students to the field to explore river landscapes and introducing them to the fascinating realm of hydrogeomorphology. I teach lower- and upper-division courses on environmental systems, surface processes, hydrogeology, and geospatial techniques (GIS and remote sensing). 

    • Ph.D., Syracuse University
    • M.A. University of Texas, Austin
    • B.A. University of Colorado, Boulder

    • Guo, X., Piliouras, A., Lin, P., & Yao, W. (2025). Natural fluvial connection across watersheds. Earth-Science Reviews, 105203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105203
    • Wang, N., Liu, S., Guo, X., Li, Z., Cong, N., Bao, M., Wang, Q., & Yao, W. (2025). The impact of channel sinuosity and hydrodynamics on fish-habitat suitability in high-gradient meandering rivers. Ecological Engineering, 215, 107586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2025.107586
    • Yuan, Z., Lin, P., Guo, X., Zhang, K., & Beck, H. E. (2024). Revisiting At-a-Station Hydraulic Geometry Using Discharge Observations and Satellite-Derived River Widths. Journal of Remote Sensing, 4, 0271. http://doi.org/10.34133/remotesensing.0271
    • Li, Z., Zhou, B., Guo, X., Gao, P., Chen, B., & Tian, S. (2024). Spatiotemporal variations of groundwater and gully impact in two peatland watersheds in the Upper Yellow River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Ecohydrology, e2698. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2698
    • Wang, Y., Guo, X., Wang, N., Li, Z., Ouyang, L., Bao, M., ... & Yao, W. (2024). Distinctive hydrodynamic properties and ecological responses of multi-thread rivers under different degrees of multiplicity in the Upper Yellow River. Science of The Total Environment, 173874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173874
    • Guo, X., Gao, P., & Li, Z. (2023). Hydrologic connectivity and morphologic variation of oxbow lakes in a pristine alpine fluvial system. Journal of Hydrology, 623, 129768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129768
    • Guo, X., Gao, P., & Li, Z. (2023). Morphodynamic characteristics of a complex anabranching system in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the implications for anabranching stability. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 128, e2022JF006788. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JF006788
    • Guo, X., Gao, P., & Li, Z. (2021). Morphological characteristics and changes of two meandering rivers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Geomorphology, 379, 107626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2021.107626

    • Earth’s Environmental Systems
    • Earth Surface Processes
    • GIS and Remote Sensing
    • Hydrogeology