Professional Summary
Ruijia Hu is a geographer and GIScientist whose work examines how human land-use decisions interact with ecological patterns and processes across spatial scales, creating trade-offs between urban development and biodiversity conservation. Her research aims to understand how local land-use decisions accumulate to reshape habitat availability and landscape connectivity, how these changes affect wildlife conservation across spatial scales, and how geospatial tools can support planning strategies that better reconcile urban development with ecological conservation.
Education
Bachelor: Southwest University (西南大学), Chongqing, China, 2014 (Urban Planning)
Master: University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, Cincinnati, 2018 (Community Planning)
PhD: University of Cincinnati 2026 (Geography and GIS)
Positions and Work Experience
2022 -2023 Adjunct Instructor, Taught GEOG 2100: Physical Geography (in-person), Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
2022 -To Present Adjunct Instructor, Developed and taught online courses: • GEOG 5173C & 6073C: Fundamentals of GIS Programming • GEOG 5181C & 6081C: Intermediate GIS Currently teaching in-person courses: • GEOG 3045 & EVST 3045: Urban Geography and Environmental Equity • GEOG 5175 & 6075: Quantitative Geography and Spatial Statistics I , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, OH, USA
2017 -2019 GIS Specialist, Cincinnati Parks, Division of Natural Resources, City of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
2019 -2022 Teaching Assistant, Taught lab section of GEOG 6081: Intermediate GIS. Taught lab section of GEOG 6091: Advanced GIS., Department of Geography and GIS, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications
Hu, R., & Tong, S. T. Y. (2022).The use of remotely sensed data to model habitat selections of pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in fragmented landscapes. Forest Ecology and Management, 521More Information
Hu, R & Tong S. T. Y. (2025).Habitat connectivity modeling for urban conservation planning: A case study of pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) in Hamilton County, Ohio, USA. Ecological Indicators, 176More Information
Other Publications
Hu, R., & Tong, S. T. Y. (In preparation). Compact or sprawl? Simulating urban growth scenarios to inform avian habitat connectivity.
Book Chapter
Hu, R., & Tong, S. T. Y. (2026). Conserving wildlife biodiversity in urban ecosystems.. In Handbook of Sustainable Biodiversity Management: Strategies for a Thriving Planet. (pp. 343 -373). Boca Raton, CRC Press
Presentations
Invited Presentations
Ruijia Hu (12-16-2024. ) The use of remotely sensed data to model habitat selections of pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in fragmented landscapes .The 10th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE 2025), Hong Kong, China. Conference. . Level:International
Paper Presentations
Ruijia Hu (10-2022. ) “The use of remotely sensed data to model optimal habitat selections of pileated woodpeckers Dryocopus pileatus) in fragmented landscapes” .Muskegon, MI. Conference. Level:Regional
Ruijia Hu (03-2023. ) “An Evaluation of Habitat Fragmentation for Pileated Woodpeckers Based on Ecological Network Analysis” .Denver, CO. Conference. Level:National
Honors and Awards
01-2023 Advancement of Diversity/Interdisciplinary Research Award University of Cincinnati, Graduate Student Government. Status:Recipient Level:University Type:Fellowship
10-2022 Best Graduate Student Paper - the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Council Award for Best Graduate and Undergraduate Student Paper at the East Lakes Regional Division Meeting, MI, USA Status:Recipient Level:Regional
10-2022 1st Place Student Award Student Paper Presentation Competition of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the East Lakes Division of the American Association of Geographers, Muskegon, MI, USA. Status:Recipient Level:Regional
03-2024 Cincinnatus Prize in Urban Geography The Cincinnatus Prize, sponsored by the Cincinnatus Association of Cincinnati, is awarded to the most outstanding graduating geography senior. Selection for the Cincinnatus Award is by faculty nomination. Department of Geography, University of Cincinnati Status:Recipient Level:Department Type:Monetary
12-2024 Best Oral Presentations The 11th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE 2025) Status:Recipient Level:International Type:Non-Monetary
Keywords
Urban ecology; Landscape ecology; Conservation planning; Species distribution modeling; Habitat connectivity modeling; Land use and land cover modeling
Courses Taught
-GEOG-1001 INTRO PHYS GEOG Level:Undergraduate
GEOG 5181C/6081C Intermediate GIS Level:Both
GEOG 5173C/6073C Fundamentals of GIS Programming Level:Both
GEOG 2003 Cincinnati Regional Geography