BACHELOR | 2005.9-2009.6 | Huazhong Agricultural University
· Aquaria Science and Technology
MASTER | 2009.9-2012.6 | Huazhong Agricultural University
· Aquaculture
EXCHANGE | 2011.6-2011.7 | Eastern Michigan University
DOCTOR | 2013.3-2016.12 | Victoria University of Wellington & NIWA
· Marine Biology

Assistant Researcher | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 2020.8-Present

Marine conservation

I am interested in integrating ecology, evolution, genetics, and spatial analysis to achieve more effective conservation and management. These multidisciplinary research tools are used to reveal biodiversity patterns, spatial structure and connectivity corridors, as well as the responses of protected animals and communities to environmental change, to inform population conservation of endangered species and marine protected area selection. In addition, I am attempting to establish techniques for environmental DNA metabarcoding to assess the impact of human activities on marine biodiversity.

Cao L*, Halpern B*, Troell M*, Short R*, Zeng C*, Jiang Z*, Liu Y* et al. 2023. Vulnerability of Blue Foods to Human-induced Environmental Change. Nature Sustainability https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01156-y
Zhao F, Liu Y, Wang Z, Lu J, Cao L, Zeng C#. 2023. Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Ocypode ceratophthalmus in the East and South China Seas and Its Implications for Conservation. Biology, 12(3), 437. (#Corresponding author)
Zeng C, Rowden AA, Clark MR, et al. Species-specific genetic variation in response to deep-sea environmental variation amongst Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem indicator taxa[J]. Scientific Reports, 2020, 10:2844.
Zeng C, Clark MR, Rowden AA, et al. The use of spatially explicit genetic variation data from four deep-sea sponges to inform the protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems[J]. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9:5482.
Zeng C, Clark M, Rowden A, Gardner J. Population genetic structure and connectivity of deep-sea stony corals (O. Scleractinia) in the New Zealand region: implications for the conservation and management of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem. Evolutionary Applications. 2017, 10(10): 1040-1054.