Dr Huili Chen

BEng MSc PhD

Pronouns: She/her
  • Senior Lecturer in Water Engineering

Research groups and centres

Publications
ORCiD Google Scholar
Huili Chen

Research and expertise

My research is centred on the development of innovative methodologies that leverage satellite observations, citizen science, multi-source data integration, and high-performance modelling tools to facilitate assessments of disaster impacts and risks induced by flooding and other climate hazards, particularly in data-sparse regions. My overarching vision is to deliver advanced, policy-relevant data analytics that safeguard lives and enhance resilience of communities exposed to natural hazards exacerbated by climate change, land-use and land-cover change, and rapid population growth.

Current research activity

  • Assistant chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Informatics and Multi-hazard Risk Reduction
  • Standardising High-Performance Integrated Hydrodynamic Modelling System (HiPIMS) for flood modelling and RIsk managemenT (SPIRIT), EPSRC impact acceleration accounts, CoI
  • Nature-based Solutions for Enhancing Flood Resilience and Biodiversity in Transport Infrastructure: Modelling and Valuation (NEFTIM), EPSRC, PI
  • Risk evaluation of glacier debris flows under climate change in southeastern Tibet, Royal Society, PI
  • Evolution of HiPIMS toward a 4* Impact Case Study for REF 2029: A Framework for Engagement and Scalability, UK Higher Education Innovation Fund, PI

Recently completed research projects

  • Development of new pluvial flood nowcasting technologies using phased array radars and high-performance hydrodynamic and deep learning models, Royal Society (IEC\NSFC\211362; 03/2022 – 03/2024), CoI
  • FLASH: Fit-for-purpose high-resoLution risk Assessment and forecasting System for rainfall-induced Hazards in Bhutan, NERC (2021COPA&R46Chen; 10/2021 – 06/2022), PI
  • FLASH ODA Additional Funds, NERC (04/2022 – 04/2023), PI
  • WeACT: Web-Based Natural Dam-Burst Flood Hazard Assessment and ForeCasting SysTem, NERC SHEAR programme (NE/S005919/1; 09/2018 – 08/2020), RA
  • Boya Postdoctoral Fellowship, Peking University (06/2018 – 05/2020, decline following a job offer at Loughborough), PI
  • Agricultural flood damage assessment and risk analysis, Ministry of Education Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, China (01/2017 – 12/2019), PI

Recent publications

  • Hill, B, Liang, Q, Chen, H, Bosher, L (2026) From reach to catchment-scale impacts: High-resolution hydrodynamic modelling of Nature-based solutions in the Cocker Catchment, UK, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 64, 103178, ISSN: 2214-5818. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103178
  • Chen, H, Liang, Q, Zhao, J, Maharjan, SB (2025) Assessing national exposure and impact to glacial lake outburst floods considering uncertainty under data sparsity, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 29(3), 733-752, ISSN: 1027-5606. DOI: 10.5194/hess-29-733-2025
  • Qin, H, Liang, Q, Chen, H, De Silva, V (2024) A Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) framework integrated with reinforcement learning for urban flood mitigation, Journal of Hydrology, 643, 131918, ISSN: 0022-1694. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131918
  • Qin, H, Liang, Q, Chen, H, De Silva, V (2024) A two-way coupled CHANS model for flood emergency management, with a focus on temporary flood defences, Environmental Modelling & Software, 181, 106166, ISSN: 1364-8152. DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2024.106166
  • Qin, H, Liang, Q, Chen, H, De Silva, V (2024) A high-performance Coupled Human And Natural Systems (CHANS) model for flood risk assessment and reduction, Water Resources Research, 60(7), e2023WR036269, ISSN: 0043-1397. DOI: 10.1029/2023WR036269
  • Hill, B, Chen, H, Liang, Q, Bosher, L, Vann, J (2024) Monitoring solutions for remote locations: A data gathering approach for remote nature-based solution sites, Nature-Based Solutions, 5, 100120, ISSN: 2772-4115. DOI: 10.1016/j.nbsj.2024.100120
  • Wells, HM, Hillier, J, Garry, FK, Dunstone, N, Clark, MR, Kahraman, A, Chen, H (2024) Climatology and convective mode of severe hail in the United Kingdom, Atmospheric Research, 309, 107569, ISSN: 0169-8095. DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107569
  • Hill, B, Liang, Q, Bosher, L, Chen, H, Nicholson, A (2023) A systematic review of natural flood management modelling: approaches, limitations, and potential solutions, Journal of Flood Risk Management, 16(3), e12899, ISSN: 1753-318X. DOI: 10.1111/jfr3.12899
  • Cui, Y, Liang, Q, Xiong, Y, Wang, G, Wang, T, Chen, H (2023) Assessment of Object-Level Flood Impact in an Urbanized Area Considering Operation of Hydraulic Structures, Sustainability, 15(5), pp.4589-4589, DOI: 10.3390/su15054589
  • Xing, Y, Chen, H, Liang, Q, Ma, X (2022) Improving the performance of city-scale hydrodynamic flood modelling through a GIS-based DEM correction method, Natural Hazards, 112(3), pp.2313-2335, ISSN: 0921-030X. DOI: 10.1007/s11069-022-05267-1
  • Xing, Y, Shao, D, Liang, Q, Chen, H, Ma, X, Ullah, I (2021) Investigation of the drainage loss effects with a street view based drainage calculation method in hydrodynamic modelling of pluvial floods in urbanized area, Journal of Hydrology, 605, 127365, ISSN: 0022-1694. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127365
  • Chen, H, Zhao, J, Liang, Q, Maharjan, SB, Joshi, SP (2021) Assessing the potential impact of glacial lake outburst floods on individual objects using a high-performance hydrodynamic model and open-source data, Science of the Total Environment, 806(Part 3), 151289, ISSN: 0048-9697. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151289
  • Zhao, J, Chen, H, Liang, Q, Xia, X, Xu, J, Hoey, T, Barrett, B, Renaud, FG, Bosher, L, Zhou, X (2021) Large-scale flood risk assessment under different development strategies: the Luanhe River Basin in China, Sustainability Science, 17(4), pp.1365-1384, ISSN: 1862-4065. DOI: 10.1007/s11625-021-01034-6
All publications

Teaching

I contribute to learning and teaching activities across the School's programmes, including:

Undergraduate

  • CVA124 - Measurement and Site Surveying
  • CVB010 - Field Courses
  • CVC106 - Ground Engineering and Monitoring
  • CVC109 - Water Resources, Sustainability and Climate Change

Postgraduate

  • CVP366 - Geographic Information Systems and Data Management
  • CVP418 - Flood Modelling and Management
  • CVP422 - Flood Modelling and Management (DL)
  • CVP431 - Water and the Natural Environment (DL) 

Profile

I am currently a Reader in Water Engineering at the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Loughborough University. My career at Loughborough commenced in January 2019, when I joined the School as a Research Associate. Previously, I was a Research Associate at Peking University. I received my BEng and MSc from Wuhan University, China, in 2010 and 2012, and my PhD from Peking University in 2016.

Professional affiliations

  • Secretary General of UK China Association of Resources and Environment
  • Associate Editor, ICE Proceedings in Water Management
  • Member of European Geosciences Union (EGU)
  • Member of the transboundary Koshi DRR Knowledge Hub (KDKH)
  • Member of the Global Partnership for Smart Informatics and Multi-hazard Reduction (SIMR)

Awards

  • 2024 Recipient, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW; 2nd in the award team)

External activities

Conference organiser:

  • Co-chair and Session Convener, Second International Conference on Smart Informatics and Multi-hazard Reduction, 10-16 September 2025, Chengdu, China
  • Organising Committee Member, 25th Annual General Meeting of the UK China Association of Resources and Environment, 30 September - 3 October 2025, Zhengzhou, China
  • Organising Committee Member, the First International Conference on Smart Informatics and Multi-hazard Reduction, 15-19 September 2024, Loughborough, UK
  • Scientific Committee Member and Session Convener, the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the UK China Association of Resources and Environment, 13 and 14 November 2023, Wenzhou & Shenyang, China, and Loughborough, UK

Invited speeches/talks:

  • First International Conference on Smart Informatics and Multi-hazard Reduction, Loughborough, 2024
  • XIV Congress of International Association for Engineering Geology and Environment, Chengdu, China, 2023
  • 5th International Symposium on Shallow Flows (ISSF 2021), Nanjing, China, 2021
  • 5th China Symposium on Water Environment Modelling and Intelligent Decision, Yuxi, China, 2018

Key collaborators

My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:

  • Collaborative research leading to joint publications: Peking University (China), Hohai University (China), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (China), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS (China), Capital University of Economics and Business (China), University of Glasgow (UK), Brunel University London (UK), University of Regina (Canada), University of Oslo (Norway), Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (Japan), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD, Nepal), etc.
  • Joint funding applications: Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Malawi), University of Uyo (Nigeria), University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), Royal University of Bhutan (Bhutan), Chengdu University of Technology (China), Newcastle University (UK), Swansea University (UK), University of Exeter (UK), University of Lincoln (UK), University of Oxford (UK), University of Leeds (UK), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (Sweden), Helmholtz Zentrum HEREON GmbH (Germany), Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (Nederlands), Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (France), University of Innsbruck (Austria), University of Bern (Switzerland), Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain), etc.
  • Invited research visits: ICIMOD (Nepal), Tribhuvan University (Nepal), Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (Nepal), Royal University of Bhutan (Bhutan), Zhengzhou University (China), Chang’an University (China), Xi'an University of Technology (China), North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (China), Nanjing University (China), Yunnan University (China), Birmingham University (UK), Exeter University (UK), etc.