Chen Xu

Associate Research Scientist
Visiting Lecturer
Department of Marine and Coastal Environmental Science

E-mail: xuchen66@tamu.edu

Phone: (409) 740-4510

Fax: (409) 740-4879

Ocean & Coastal Studies Bldg., Office 316

Website

Learn more about Chen Xu

Get To Know Chen Xu

What in your life drew you to your current field of study?

I've always been inspired by the parable of the blind men and the elephant. I chose Environmental Science as my undergraduate major because it represents a vast, interconnected discipline where chemistry, biology, geology, and social studies all rely on and influence one another. Each subject offers a piece of the puzzle. Even now, I often feel like one of the blind men, working diligently to understand the whole 'elephant' by piecing together the information I uncover. I’m committed to continuing this exploration and gaining a clearer understanding of the bigger picture.

What do you hope your students gain from studying or working with you?

My goal as a teacher is not just to pass on knowledge from classic textbooks, but to inspire students to think beyond the material and develop a broader perspective. I believe it’s my responsibility to help lift the next generation higher, guiding them to explore new horizons, build effective study strategies, and establish habits that enhance their learning outcomes. I also value hands-on experience in the lab, as it helps students connect theory to real-world applications, deepening their understanding of the subject.

What are you passionate about in your personal life?

I love listening to classic music. I also enjoy traveling with my family to different national parks and history museums.

Courses Taught

Lecturer of undergraduate course
MARS 420 "Biological Oceanography"
Lab instructor for CHEM Lab 119 and 120 regular and honor classes since 2021 Fall to present.
Invited lecturer for graduate courses in the Oceanography Department at Texas A&M University
- OCNG644 "Isotope Geochemistry"
- OCNG646 “Dynamics of Environmental Colloids”
Invited lecturer for undergraduate courses at Texas A&M University at Galveston
- MARS481 “Seminar in Marine Science”
- CHEM383 "Environmental Chemistry"

Publications

Xu, C., Goranov, A.I., Kaplan, D.I., Lin, P., Yeager, C.M., Patterson, N., Jiang, H., Hatcher, P.G. and Santschi, P.H. 2024. Molecular features of uranium-binding natural organic matter in a riparian wetland determined by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. Science of The Total Environment 948, 174867.
Santschi, P.H., Xu, C., Lin, P., Yeager, C.M., Hazenberg, P., Kaplan, D.I. 2024. Hydrological controls of a riparian wetland based on stable isotope data and model simulations. Isotopes in Environmental & Health Studies. Accepted.
Chin, W.-C., Santschi, P.H., Quigg, A., Xu, C., Lin, P., Kamalanathan, M. 2024. Micro- and Nano-Plastics Induced Release of Protein-Enriched Microbial Exopolymeric Substances (EPSs) in Marine Environments. Environments. Accepted.
Kaplan, D.I., Boyanov, M.I., Losey, N.A., Lin, P., Xu, C., O'Loughlin, E.J., Santschi, P.H., Xing, W., Kuhne, W.W. and Kemner, K.M. 2024. Uranium Biogeochemistry in the Rhizosphere of a Contaminated Wetland. Environmental Science & Technology 58(14), 6381-6390.
Lin, P., Xu, C., Kaplan, D.I., Yeager, C.M., Xing, W., Nichols, R., Santschi, P.H. 2023. Presence of organic matter and its characterization in cementitious materials: Implications for radionuclide immobilization, J. Env. Radioactivity, 263 (2023) 107183.
Grandbois, R.H., Santschi, P.H., Xu, C., Mitchell, J.M., Kaplan, D.I., Yeager, C.M. 2023. Iodide uptake by forest soils is principally related to the activity of extracellular oxidases. Frontiers in Chemistry, Radioiodine Detection and Management, Front. Chem. 11:1105641. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1105641. 298.
Kaplan, D.I., Nichols, R., Xu, C., Lin, P., Yeager, C.M., Santschi, P.H. 2022. Large seasonal fluctuations of groundwater radioiodine speciation and concentrations in a riparian wetland in South Carolina. STOTEN, in press, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.151548. 294.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Garimella, R., Li, D., Xing, W., Patterson, N.E., Kaplan, D.I., Yeager, C.M., Hatcher, P.G. and Santschi, P.H. 2022. (1)H-(13)C heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR evidence for iodination of natural organic matter influencing organo-iodine mobility in the environment. Sci Total Environ 814, 152546.
Xu, C., Lin, P., Sun, L., Chen, H.-M., Xing, W., Kamalanathan, M., Hatcher, P.G., Conte, M.H., Quigg, A., and Santschi, P.H. (2020) Molecular nature of marine particulate organic iron-carrying moieties revealed by electrospray ionization Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICRMS). Front. Earth Sci., doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.00266
Xu, C.; Lin, P.; Zhang, S.; Sun, L.; Xing, W.; Schwehr, K. A.; Chin, W.-C.; Wade, T. L.; Knap, A. H.; Hatcher, P. G.; Yard, A.; Jiang, C.; Quigg, A.; Santschi, P. H., The interplay of extracellular polymeric substances and oil/Corexit to affect the petroleum incorporation into sinking marine oil snow in four mesocosms. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 693, 133626

Grants and Fellowships

CO-Principal Investigators of the following projects:

BSEE, “Using Ecology-on-a-Chip (eChip) to examine degradation and microbial colonization of rising oil and dispersed oil droplets.”, Sheng, J., Santschi, P.H., Xu, W., and Xu, C., co-PIs, 09/2022-02/2024, ($173,915)
DOE, Office of Science, SBR, “WATERSHED CONTROLS ON URANIUM CONCENTRATIONS TIED TO NATURAL ORGANIC MATTER AND IRON INTERACTIONS IN STREAMBEDS AND WETLANDS”, Santschi, P.H., Kaplan, D.I., Yeager, C.M., Xu, C., and Lin, P., co-PIs, Sept.,2020-Sept. 2023 ($310,000)
National Science Foundation – Chemical Oceanography, “Biopolymers produced by diatoms and coccolithophores as carriers for selected natural radionuclides (of Th, Pa, Pb, Po, Be) in the ocean”, Peter H. Santschi, PI, Quigg, A., Schwehr, K.A., and Xu, C., co-PIs, Feb. 1, 2014 – Jan. 31, 2018 ($506,849).
DOE, Office of Science, SBR, “Collaborative Research: Natural Organic Matter and Microbial Controls on Mobilization/Immobilization of I and Pu in soils in USA and Japan”, Santschi, P.H. PI, Xu, C., Schwehr, K.A., and Zhang, S., Kaplan, D.I., and Yeager, C.M., co-PIs, Aug. 1, 2015-July 31, 2018 ($600,000 total, $300,000 to TAMUG).

Also leading scientist for the following projects:

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI), “Role of microbial exopolymers in aggregation and degradation of oil and dispersants”, Santschi, P.H. (Deputy Director and PI), with Quigg, A. (Consortium Director), and Knapp, T., Wade, T.L., Chin, W.-C., Passow, U., Hatcher, P.G., Silvan, J., and Finkel, Z. (co-PIs), Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2017 ($7,245,432 total, $3,209,495 to TAMUG).
DOE, NEUP, Office of Nuclear Energy “Using Radioiodine Speciation to Address Environmental Remediation and Waste Stream Sequestration Problems at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and a DOE Site”, Santschi, P.H., PI ($420,000 to TAMUG), Oct.1, 2016-Sept. 30, 2019.
DOE, subcontract from SRNS, “Radioiodine Speciation on G-SOW-A-01859 Waste Form Stabilization (SRNS RFP No.0000318991)”, Santschi, P.H., PI, ($40,000 to TAMUG), 2017-2018 ($40,000 to TAMUG, subcontract from SRNL).
DOE, LDRD, “Silver-iodine Secondary Waste Stabilization: Multiscale Evaluation”, Santschi, P.H., PI ($40,000 to TAMUG, subcontract from SRNL), January 1, 2018 - September 30, 2018.
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI), “ADDOMEx 2: Towards a synthesis of processes and pathways of marine oil snow formation”, Santschi, P.H. (Deputy Director and PI), with Quigg, A. (Consortium Director), and Knapp, T., Wade, T.L., Chin, W.-C., Passow, U., Hatcher, P.G., Silvan, J., and Finkel, Z. (co-PIs), Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2019 ($2.54 Million total).