- NSF  Hierarchical  Patch Dynamics Project			- GREAT LAKES Integrated  Management Project
- NSF Inverse  Multi-scale  Modeling Project			- MDEQ Michigan Groundwater  Modeling System
- NSF Stoch Ground Water Modeling Project			- MDEQ Probabilistic Wellhead Protection Project
- NSF Interactive Groundwater IGW project			- MDEQ Mich Schoolcraft  Bioremediation Project
- NSF Groundwater  Digital  Library Project			- USEPA 3D Contamination  Visualization Project

Dr. Li and his research team are investigating better ways to analyze and model flow and contaminant transport in complex groundwater systems. Dr. Li is particularly interested in the effects of heterogeneity, scale interactions, uncertainty propagation, interactions with surface water, and integrated tools that can adapt to complex field conditions across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Dr. Li's research has been primarily funded by the National Science Foundation and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Dr. Li serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment (SERRA) and is an Associate Editor for the ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering and for the NGWA Journal of Ground Water. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a Fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA), and the winner of the 2002 Premier Award for his innovative Interactive Groundwater software.

Refereed Publications

• Ni, C.F. and S.G. Li, Modeling Groundwater Velocity Variance in Unconfined, Trending Aquifers in the Presence of Sources and Sinks, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE, accepted for publication.

• Li, S.G., H.S. Liao, S. Afshari, M. Oztan, H. Abbas, R. Mandle. A GIS-enabled Hierarchical Modeling Patch Dynamics Paradigm for Modeling Complex Groundwater Systems Across Multiple Scales. Invited Book Chapter. In Modeling of Pollutants in Complex Environmental Systems. Grady Hanrahan (Ed), ILM Publications. In press/2009.

• Li, S.G. and Q. Liu. A New Paradigm for Groundwater Modeling. Invited book chapter. In Quantitative Information Fusion for Hydrological Sciences Series: Studies in Computational Intelligence , Vol. 79, Cai, Xing; Jim Yeh, T.-C. (Eds.).  Springer. 2008.

• Afshari, S., R. Mandle, Q. Liu, and S. G. Li: "A Hierarchical Patch Dynamic Approach for Predicting Near-Well Dynamics in Large Groundwater Systems". No.9 September Issue, 2008. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE.

• Ni, C.F. and S.G. Li, "Modeling Groundwater Velocity Uncertainty in Complex Composite Media". Advances in Water Resources. Vol. 29, Issue 12, 1866-1875. December, 2006. Download PDF

• Li, S.G. and Q. Liu, "A Real-time, Computational Steering Environment for Integrated Groundwater Modeling". Journal of Ground Water.  44(5), 758-763. September-October 2006.  Download PDF

• C. Zheng, T. Pint, and S.G. Li, MODTECH: GIS enabled groundwater modeling (software review). Journal of Ground Water, July-August, 2006.

• Li, S.G., Q. Liu, and S. Afshari, "An Object-Oriented Hierarchical Patch Dynamics Paradigm (HPDP) for Groundwater Modeling". Environmental Modeling and Software. Volume 21, Issue 5, Pages 601-758. May 2006. Download PDF

• Sun, Y.H., Y.C. Zhou, S.G. Li, G.W. Wei, "A Windowed Fourier Pseudospectral Method for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws", Journal of Computational Physics. Volume 214, Issue 2. Pages 466-490. 20 May 2006. Download PDF

• Li, S.G. and Q. Liu, Software News - "Interactive Ground Water (IGW)", Environmental Modeling and Software. Vol. 21, No. 3. 2006. Download PDF

• Ni, C.F. and S.G. Li, "Simple Closed-Form Formulas for Predicting Groundwater Flow Model Uncertainty in Complex, Heterogeneous Trending Media". Water Resources and Research,  Volume 41, Issue No. 11, November, 2005. Download PDF.

• T. Lowry and S.G. Li, "A Finite Analytic Method for Solving the 2-D Time-dependent Advection–diffusion Equation with Time-invariant coefficients". Advances in Water Resources, Vol 28, Issue 2, February, 2005. Ranked 11th in The ScienceDirect Top25 Hottest Articles in Advances in Water Resources.  Download PDF

• Li, S.G., H. S. Liao, Ni, Chuen-Fa, A computationally practical approach for modeling complex mean flows in mildly heterogeneous media, Water Resour. Res., Vol. 40, No. 12, 2004. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., H. S. Liao and C.F. Ni, Stochastic Modeling of Complex Nonstationary Groundwater Systems, Advances in Water Resources. 27(11), pp 1087-1104, 18 pages, 2004. Download PDF

• Liao, H.S., L.X. Li, S.G. Li, Recent Advances in Stochastic Groundwater Modeling, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering (in Chinese), 2004, No.4, pp1-10.

• Li, S.G., McLaughlin D., Liao HS. The Accuracy of Stochastic Perturbation Solutions to Subsurface Transport Problems, ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES, 27(1): 47-56, 10 pages, JAN 2004. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., Q. Liu, Interactive Ground Water (IGW): An Innovative Digital Laboratory For Groundwater Education and Research, COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION. Vol. 11(4):179~202, 2003. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., McLaughlin D., Liao HS. A computationally practical method for stochastic groundwater modeling. ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES, 26(11): 1137-1148, 12 pages, NOV 2003. Download PDF

• T. Lowry and S.G. Li, "A Characteristic-Based Finite-Analytic Method for Solving the Two-Dimensional Steady-State Advection-Diffusion Equation". WATER RESOURCE RES., 38 (7): 1123-1137. 15 pages. JUL 2002, Download PDF

• Li, S.G., and D.B. McLaughlin, "Asymptotic Properties of the Eulerian Truncation Approximation: Analysis of the Perfectly Stratified Transport Problem". Water Resources Research, 38(8), 1143-1149, 7 pages, AUG 2002. Download PDF  

• Liao, H S, Li S G. Theoretical and Numerical Assessment of the Validity of Eulerian Truncation in Stochastic Groundwater Modeling. Journal of Hydrodynamics, Series B, 2002,14(3):13-20. (In Chinese).

• Li, S.G., Book Review on "Dispersion in Heterogeneous Geological Formations”, Edited by Brian Berkowitz, Kluwer Academic Publisher, EOS, Vol. 82, No. 48, page 588, Nov 2001, AGU. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., and H.S. Liao, "Stochastic Groundwater Modeling: Current Status, Computational Challenges, and An Efficient Modeling Framework", Proceedings of 1999 International Water Resources Engineering Conference, 8/7/99-8/11/99, Seattle, USA.

• Li, S.G., and Q.S. Huang, "Interactive and Real Time Groundwater Modeling: An Innovative Software Tool for Active Student Learning and Exploration", Proceedings of 1999 International Water Resources Engineering Conference, 8/7/99-8/11/99, Seattle, USA.

• T. Lowry and S.G. Li, "An Improved Finite-Analytic Method for Two-Dimensional Unsteady Transport and Application to East Multnomah County Groundwater Contamination Site", Proceedings of 1999 International Water Resources Engineering Conference, August 7-11, 1999, Seattle, USA.

• Ruan, F, McLaughlin, D., and S.G. Li, A General Technique for Assessing the Numerical Accuracy of Solute Transport Models, Water Resources Research, 35(12), 1999. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., and C.F. Wei, "Improved Finite Analytic Methods for Heterogeneous Transport In Multi-Dimensions", Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 124, No.4, pp 358-369, April, 1998. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., and X.Q. Zhou, " A Stochastic Theory For Irregular Stream Modeling. Part 2: Solute Transport ", Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol 123, No.7,July, 1997. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., F. Ruan, D.B. McLaughlin and T. Cole, " A Generalized Analytical Testing Technique for Numerical Models ". Proceedings of International Conference on Computational Methods in Water Resources held in CANCUN, Mexico, July 22-26, Vol. 2, pp.19-26, 1996.

• Li, S.G., and D.B. McLaughlin, "Using Nonstationary Spectral Method for Analyzing Groundwater Flow in Heterogeneous Trending Media", Water Resources Research, AGU, Vol. 31, No. 3, 1995. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., F. Ruan and D.B. McLaughlin, "Reply to a discussion on A Space-Time Accurate Method for Solving Solute Transport Problems", Water Resources Research, Vol. 30, No.11, 1994.

• Li, S.G., and D.B. McLaughlin, "Reply to a discussion on A Stochastic Theory for Irregular Stream Modeling, Part 1: Flow Resistance", Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 119, No. 11, 1993.

• D.B. McLaughlin, L.B. Reid, S.G. Li and J.A. Hyman, "A Stochastic Method for Characterizing Groundwater Contamination", Journal of Groundwater, March, Vol 31, No.2, 1993. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., F. Ruan and D.B. McLaughlin, "A Space-Time Accurate Method for Solving Solute Transport Problems", Water Resources Research, Vol. 28, No.9, 1992. Download PDF

• Li, S.G., L. Venkataraman and D.B. McLaughlin, "A Stochastic Theory for Irregular Stream Modeling, Part 1: Flow Resistance", Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 118, No. 8, 1992. Download PDF

• Li, S.G. and D.B. McLaughlin, "A Nonstationary Spectral Method for Solving Stochastic Groundwater Problems, Part 1: Unconditional Analysis", Water Resources Research, 27(7), 1991. Download PDF

• Li, S.G. and L. Venkataraman, "Discussion on Time-Line Interpolation for the Solution of the Dispersion Equation", Journal of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 29, No. 4, 1991.

• L.B. Reid, D.B. McLaughlin, S.G. Li and J.A. Hyman, "A New Stochastic Method for Characterizing Groundwater Contamination: Application to a Coal Tar Waste Disposal Site", Proceedings of International Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, 1991.

• Li, S.G., "Theoretical Longitudinal Dispersion Coefficient in Natural Rivers - A Stochastic Approach", Proceedings of XXIII IAHR Congress, Session D: Environmental Hydraulics, 1989.

• Li, S.G., "An Optimal Exponential Difference Scheme for Solving Parabolic Partial Differential Equations", International Journal of Computation and Methodology: Numerical Heat Transfer, Vol. 14, No. 3, 1988.

• Li, S.G. and Z.X. Liang, "Gravity-Affected Potential Flows Past Spillway Flip Buckets", Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 114, No. 4, 1988.

Grant Awards from the National Science Foundation

1. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, A Hierarchical Patch Dynamics Paradigm for Inverse Groundwater Modeling. $125,000, 05/15/1/05-05/14/07. Co-PIs: Q. Liu, Phanikumar Mantha.    

2. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, An IT-Enabled, Hierarchical and Patch Dynamics Paradigm for Modeling Complex Groundwater Systems Across Multiple Scales. $550,000, 10/1/04-9/30/07. Co-PIs: Q. Liu, GW, Guo. 

3. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, A Digital Laboratory for Groundwater Education and Research, $460,000, 10/1/03-9/30/05. Co-PIs:  R. Wallace, Q. Liu 

4. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Virtual Remediation in Groundwater Environment, $528,433 (including 25% university matching), 01/01/01-12/31/03. Co-PIs: W. Fish and L. Semprini

5. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Stochastic flow and transport in heterogeneous soils - nonstationarity, scale interaction, and a new modeling framework, $192,668, 7/1/99-6/30/02.

6. NSF, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Stochastic flow in heterogeneous soils - a new approach for measurement conditioning. $113,363 (including 16K university matching), 07/01/98-6/30/00. 

Other Grant Awards

1. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) and MSU. J. Bartholic (PI), S. G. Li, (50%), D. Lusch, Kline-Robach, R., MDEQ-MSU Water Resources Partnership. $1,500,000. July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012.

2. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Principal Investigator and Project Manager, GIS-based Groundwater Modeling, July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009. $24,950

3. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Principal Investigator and Project Manager. GIS-based Groundwater Modeling and Probabilistic Wellhead Delineation Using the DEQ Statewide Groundwater Database. $24,950. PI, w/ Q. Liu. 7/1/06-9/30/06. 

4. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Principal Investigator and Project Manager, GIS-based Groundwater Modeling and Probabilistic Wellhead Delineation Using the DEQ Statewide Groundwater Database, $140,000, PI, w/ Q. Liu, 10/01/05 - 6/30/06.

5. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Principal Investigator and Project Manager, GIS-based Groundwater Modeling and Probabilistic Wellhead Delineation Using the DEQ Statewide Groundwater Database, $138,000, PI, w/ Q. Liu, 10/01/04 - 9/30/05.

6. GLPF (Great Lake Protection Fund), Restoring Great Lakes Basin Water through the Use of Conservation Credits and Integrated Water Balance Analysis System. $540,000. J. Batholic (PI) and others. 2005-2007

7. Corn Marketing Program of Michigan. Co-PI, Determining the Impact of Geology, Climate, and management practices on the sustainability of irrigation for corn production in the state of Michigan. $26,913. With Bill Northcott (PI) and Jeff Andresen. 2005-2006

8. MDEQ (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Co-PI, Evaluation of Remediation in Schoolcraft Plumes G and F Contaminated with Chloriated Solvents and Metals. $961,042, 10/1/03-9/30/05. Co-PI with M. Dybas (PI), T. Voice, X. Zhao, S. Hashsham, M. Phanikumar, D. Long, and J. Tiedje.

9. USGS (United States Geological Survey), Michigan Water Resources Program. $229,368. 4/1/03-3/30/04. With J. Batholic (PI) and others.

10. Microsoft Corporation. Instructional Lab Grant. 1997-1998.

11. METRO, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Oregon, St. Johns Landfill Modeling, $20,000, 1996-1997.

12. Bureau of Environmental Services, City of Portland, Oregon, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Mobile Bed Hydraulics and Sediment Transport, $80,646, 9/1/1995 - 12/31/1996.

13. METRO, Oregon, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, 3D Groundwater Flow and Transport at St. Johns Landfill, $54,000, 9/16/1994-2/28/1996.

14. METRO, Oregon, Principal Investigator and Project Manager, 3D Groundwater Flow and Transport at SJ Landfill, $83,459, 1/16/1994-9/15/1994

15. Parametrix, Inc., Principal Investigator and Project Manager, Sediment Transport, $38,477, 6/15/1994 - 7/15/1995

16. PSU, Faculty Development Grant, Principal Investigator and Project Manager,  Groundwater Modeling, $1200+Tuition, 1994.

Honors and Awards

1. Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2007

2. Fellow, Geological Society of America (GSA), 2007

3. The Premier Award, The National Engineering Education and Delivery Systems, co-sponsored by John Wiley & Sons, Autodesk, MathWorks and Microsoft Research, 2002 

4. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning with Technology Award, 2000-2001, Portland State University

5. Outstanding Research Award, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Portland State University, 1999-2000

6. The Li Foundation Scholarship. The Li Foundation, Inc., New York, 1985.

Professional Services

• Editorial Board, Journal of Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment (SERRA). 

• Associate Editor, ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering.

• Associate Editor, Journal of Ground Water, National Ground Water Association (NGWA), 2007-

• Delegate, The University Consortium on Water Resources (UCOWA). 

Professional Affiliations

• American Society of Civil Engineers

• American Geophysical Union

• Geological Society of America

• National Groundwater Association