2019, Ph.D. in Soil Science (Soil Physics/Hydropedology), The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

2013, M.S. in Environmental Engineering (Soil Microbiology), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

2010, B.S. in Environmental Engineering, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, China

2021-present, Assistant Professor of Soil Physics, AgCenter/School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, LSU

2019-2021, Postdoctoral Scholar, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

Soil-ecosystem-climate interactions at different spatial scales, Soil functions and agroecosystem services, Soil structure/subsurface flow paths evolution and water/solute transport in the vadose zone, Soil water dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales, Coupling soil water processes and biogeochemical cycles, Sustainable soil and water management, Geostatistics

1. Sullivan, P., S. Billings, D. Hirmas, L. Li, X. Zhang, S. Ziegler, K. Murenbeeld, H. Ajami, A. Guthrie, K. Singha, D. Giménez, A. Duro, V. Moreno, A. Flores, A. Cueva, A. Koop, E. Aronson, H. Barnard, S. Banwart, R. Keen, A. Nemes, N. Nikolaidis, J. Nippert, D. Richter, D. Robinson, K. Sadayappan, L. Souza, M. Unruh and Hang Wen. 2021. Embracing the dynamic nature of soil structure: a paradigm illuminating the role of life in critical zones of the Anthropocene. Earth-Science Reviews 103873.
2. Ding, D., N. Wang, X. Zhang, Y. Zou, Y. Zhao, Z. Xu, X. Chu, J. Liu, Y. Bai, S. Feng, H. Feng, K. Siddique and O. Wendroth. 2021. Quantifying the interaction of water and radiation use efficiency under plastic film mulch in winter wheat. Science of the Total Environment 794: 148704.
3. Zou, Y., Q. Saddique, W. Dong, Y. Zhao, X. Zhang, J. Liu, D. Ding, H. Feng, O. Wendroth and K. Siddique. 2021. Quantifying the compensatory effect of increased soil temperature under plastic film mulching on crop growing degree days in a wheat–maize rotation system. Field Crops Research 260: 107993.
4. Zhang, X., O. Wendroth, C. Matocha, J. Zhu and J. Reyes. 2020. Assessing field-scale variability of soil hydraulic conductivity at and near saturation. CATENA 187: 104335.
5. Zhang, X., O. Wendroth, C. Matocha and J. Zhu. 2019. Estimating soil hydraulic conductivity at the field scale with a state-space approach. Soil Science 184 (3):101-111.
6. Zhang, X., J. Zhu, O. Wendroth, C. Matocha and D. Edwards. 2019. Effect of macroporosity on pedotransfer function estimates at the field scale. Vadose Zone Journal 18:180151.

2018- present, American Geophysical Union (AGU)

2015- present, Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

2015- present, American Society of Agronomy (ASA)

2015- 2019, Crop Science Society of America (CSSA)

2022-2024, Committee Member, Council for Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Change, LSU

2022-2023, Committee Member, Soil Science Society of America Fellows Committee

2021, Leader, Soil Health Community, American Society of Agronomy

2020, Vice-Leader, Soil Health Community, American Society of Agronomy

Journal Reviewer: Journal of Hydrology, Soil and Tillage Research, Vadose Zone Journal, Agronomy Journal, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Science of the Total Environment, Irrigation Science, Canadian Journal of Soil Science, Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition