M.Sc. in Research Exploration and Geophysics, 2019 - 2022
Thesis topic: Improving receiver function imaging with high-resolution Radon transform (supervisor: Prof. Yunfeng Chen)
Zhejiang Univerisity, Hangzhou, China
Minor in International Organizations and Internation Development

B.Eng. in Applied Geophysics, 2015 - 2019
Central South University, Changsha, China
Minor in French Language

Employment

2026 - present: Laureate Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Publications

Zhang, Quan, Pascal Audet, Cong Ji, and Clément Estève. "Seismic evidence for lower-mantle heat supply beneath the Cordilleran slab window in western Canada." Nature Communications (2026).
Zhang, Quan, Pascal Audet, Martha Savage, Rupert Sutherland, and Tim Stern. "Mantle Transition Zone Topography in New Zealand From Teleseismic P-Wave Receiver Functions." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 131, no. 2 (2026): e2025JB033040.
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Claire A. Currie, and Pascal Audet. "Factors controlling high elevations in the Canadian Cordillera: isostatic analysis and thermal contributions." Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 62, no. 4 (2025): 865–874.
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Yu Jeffrey Gu, Claire Currie, Pascal Audet, Hersh Gilbert, Derek L. Schutt, Gabriela Fernández-Viejo, and Yangkang Chen. "A reference model of crustal thickness and Vp/Vs of western Canada." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 129, no. 9 (2024): e2024JB029387.
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Fangxue Zhang, and Yangkang Chen. "Improving receiver function imaging with high-resolution radon transform." Geophysical Journal International 230, no. 2 (2022): 1292–1304.
Zhang, Quan, Hang Wang, Wei Chen, and Guangtan Huang. "A local radon transform for seismic random noise attenuation." Journal of Applied Geophysics 186 (2021): 104264.
Zhang, Quan, Hang Wang, Wei Chen, and Guangtan Huang. "A robust method for random noise suppression based on the radon transform." Journal of Applied Geophysics 184 (2021): 104183.
Y. Chen, Y. J. Gu, P. Zuo, Zhang, Quan, H. Wang, and Y.Chen. "Least-squares migration imaging of receiver functions." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 63 (2025): 1–11.
Y. Chen, A. Savvaidis, Sergey Fomel, Yunfeng Chen, O. M. Saad, Yapo Abolé Serge Innocent Oboué, Zhang, Quan, and Wei Chen. "Pyseistr: A Python package for structural denoising and interpolation of multichannel seismic data." Seismological Society of America 94, no. 3 (2023): 1703–1714.
H. Mai, P. Audet, HK C. Perry, S. M. Mousavi, and Zhang, Quan. "Blockly earthquake transformer: A deep learning platform for custom phase picking." Artificial Intelligence in Geosciences 4 (2023): 84–94.
H. Wang, Wei Chen, Zhang, Quan, X. Liu, S. Zu, and Y. Chen. "Fast dictionary learning for high-dimensional seismic reconstruction." IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 59, no. 8 (2020): 7098–7108.
H. Wang, Zhang, Quan, G. Zhang, J. Fang, and Y. Chen. "Self-training and learning the waveform features of microseismic data using an adaptive dictionary." Geophysics 85, no. 3 (2020): KS51–KS61.

Teaching and supervision

GEO1115 Introduction to Earth Materials. Teaching Assistantship. uOttawa. Fall 2025.
GEO1111 Introduction to Earth Systems. Teaching Assistantship. uOttawa. Spring 2025.
GEO2352 Geoscience Data Analysis. Teaching Assistantship. uOttawa. Fall 2024.
GEO1111 Introduction to Earth Systems. Teaching Assistantship. uOttawa. Winter 2023.
GEO1115 Introduction to Earth Materials. Teaching Assistantship. uOttawa. Fall 2022.

Contributed conference presentations

Zhang, Quan, Pascal Audet, Derek Schutt, Richard C. Aster, Cong Ji, and Clément Estève. "High-Resolution Mantle Transition Zone Topography Imaging in Western Canada." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024 (2024): T53C–3246.
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Claire A. Currie, and Pascal Audet. "Quantitative Analysis of Thermal Isostasy in Western Canada." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024 (2024): T13A–3344.
Zhang, Quan, and Pascal Audet. "Martian Crustal Velocity Model Constraints from 3-Component Auto-and Cross-Correlation of Teleseismic Marsquake Data." Mars Interior and Geophysics After InSight 3060 (2024): 6030.
Zhang, Quan, and Pascal Audet. "Martian Crustal and Lithospheric Velocity Model Determination from Three-Component Auto-and Cross-correlation of Teleseismic Marsquake Data." CGU Conference 2024 (2024).
Zhang, Quan, and Pascal Audet. "Martian Lithospheric Velocity Model Determination from Three-Component Auto-and Cross-Correlation of Teleseismic Marsquake Data." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2023 (2023): S11C–0276.
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Pascal Audet, and Yangkang Chen. "Erratic Noise Suppression in Receiver Function Imaging." AGU Fall Meeting 2022 (2022).
Zhang, Quan, Yunfeng Chen, Yu Jeffrey Gu, Claire Currie, Pascal Audet, Hersh Gilbert, Derek Schutt, Fernandez-Viejo Gabriela, and Yangkang Chen. "A comprehensive model of crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio of Western Canada." AGU Fall Meeting 2021 (2021).

Invited presentations

Zhang, Quan. Factors Controlling High Elevations in the Canadian Cordillera: Isostatic Analysis and Thermal Contributions. 2025 KEGS/CIM Ottawa Year-End Technical & Festive Social.
Zhang, Quan. Mantle Transition Zone Topography in New Zealand Using CCP Stacking of Teleseismic P-to-s Receiver Functions. Victoria University of Wellington.

Research interests

Imaging the Earth structure from the surface to the core
Subduction zones dynamics and the tectonics in the adjacent regions
Planetary seismology; geodynamical modelling
Seismic data-processing and new imaging method exploration

Service and Outreach

Reviewer for Science Advances, Journal of Geophysical Research: Machine Learning
Equity, Diversity, and, Inclusion Committee member, Canadian Geophysical Union (2025-)
Social coordinator of uOttawa Graduate Earth Science Student Association (2022-2024)
Volunteer for 2024 Canadian Geophysical Union Annual Meeting

Other skills and interests

Languages: Ganzhou Mandarin(native), Standard Mandarin, English, Japanese, French(limited working proficiency), etc.
Hobbies: Art music, world music, geography, travelling, linguistics

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PhD in Seismology at RSES?