About Tianyi
Hi, and welcome! I was born and raised in Shanghai, China, where my love for nature began with family road trips to explore natural history museums and remarkable landscapes across the country. These experiences sparked my fascination with wildlife and inspired me to study biology—especially ecology and evolution—to understand how organisms interact with each other and their environments.
I graduated with Highest Honors in Biology from Emory University in 2022 and am now pursuing a PhD in Integrative Biology at the University of Texas at Austin with Dr. Melissa Kemp. My research focuses on phenotypic variation and biodiversity changes in reptiles over time, with a particular interest in Caribbean ecosystems. I’m excited about using paleontological methods to inform conservation and restoration strategies, applying fossil data to understand biodiversity's responses to global change phenomena.
Photography is another way I explore and connect with the world. Whether I’m capturing landscapes, wildlife, or portraits, photography allows me to record my journeys and embrace the beauty of the nature. I believe that human and nature are intertwined, and I try to reflect this harmony in my images. This belief also drives my science outreach efforts, where I aim to bridge gaps between academia and the public to build a shared commitment to preserving nature and biodiversity.
Thank you for visiting my website—I hope it offers you a glimpse into my work, my passions, and the beauty of the world as I see it.
 Utah, USA, 2022 |  Turkey, 2019 |  Georgia, USA, 2020 |  Ohio, USA, 2019 |  Georgia, USA, 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Istanbul, Turkey, 2019 |  Georgia, USA, 2020 |  Yunnan, China, 2018 |  Tennessee, USA, 2020 |  Georgia, USA, 2020 |
 Guizhou, China, 2018 |  Tennessee, USA, 2020 |  Cappadocia, Turkey, 2019 |  China, 2017 |  Quito, Ecuador, 2019 |
 Wyoming, USA, 2024 |  Tennessee, USA, 2020 |  Guizhou, China, 2018 |
I co-lead Science Under The Stars (SUTS), a monthly public science lecture series in Austin, Texas. Hosted at UT Austin's Brackenridge Field Laboratory, SUTS features science talks by graduate student speakers with topics ranging from plant adaptations to coral reefs, along with kids’ activities, natural history displays, and guided tours of the research station.
For more details about SUTS and my other community outreach efforts, please visit my outreach page.
Designed by Tianyi Xu
xuxu(at)utexas(dot)edu
Address
2415 Speedway #C0930
Austin, TX 78712