-
Jinyang Deng
- Associate Professor
- Office:
- 409M
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- (979) 314-8163
Education
- Undergraduate Education
- B.S. Agriculture (Forestry)
- Central South University of Forestry & Technology, China
- Graduate Education
- GIS Technology Certificate, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Canada
- MS GIS (one-year graduate coursework), University of Calgary, Canada
- M.S. Agriculture (Forest Recreation), Central South University of Forestry & Technology, China
- Ph.D. Physical Education and Recreation (Recreation and Leisure Studies), University of Alberta, Canada
- Awards
- 2021 Outstanding Faculty in Research, WVU Division of Forestry and Natural Resources
- 2008 Chen Chuankang Outstanding Paper Award in Tourism Geography
Areas of Expertise
Rural tourism
Ecotourism
Tourism Planning
Recreation Economy
Urban Forests
GIS
Professional Summary
Jinyang Deng, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism. He was previously a Professor at West Virginia University where he served as program coordinator from 2018 to 2019. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Canada. Since completing his MS thesis research on the economic benefits of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in 1990, his academic career has centered on public lands, rural tourism, nature-based tourism, and community development in China, Australia, Canada, and the USA.
His current research interests include rural tourism, ecotourism, tourism planning, and urban forests. He investigates topics such as environmental attitudes and behaviors, GIS applications in recreation and tourism, visitor profiles and tourism markets, tourism economic impacts, stakeholders’ attitudes towards rural tourism, and the recreational use of urban forests. His research has received funding from federal agencies (e.g., USDA Forest Service, USDA NIFA, Appalachian Regional Commission), state governments (e.g., West Virginia Department of Commerce, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, MD), foundations (e.g., Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, WVU Foundation), and DMOs (e.g., Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, Pocahontas County CVB).
His work has been published in Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Current Issues in Tourism, Leisure Sciences, Journal of Leisure Research, Journal of Environmental Management, Environment and Behavior, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, among others. He serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism and the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration. He was also on the editorial board of Tourism Analysis from 2017 to 2024.
Current projects
- Rural Community Well-being: Using Tourism Indicators to Identify, Understand and Address COVID Pandemic Impacts and Strategies for Resiliency (Co-PI. PI: Doug Arbogast, $648,285. USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 2022-2026).
- Leveraging Land-Grant Universities to Support Sustainable Rural Tourism Development in Appalachia (Co-PI. PI: Doug Arbogast, $611,365, including $485,807 from the Appalachian Regional Commission and $125,558 from other sources, 2024-2025).
- Menu to Meal (M2M): Leveraging Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence for Hispanic Restaurant Nutritional Labeling (Project Manager/Co-PI. PI: Brian King, $200,000. USDA Agricultural Research Service via the Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, IHA, 2025-2026).
- Leveraging AI and Digital Twins for “Tourism Intelligence and Economic Sustainability” (TIES) in Rural Development (PI, $42,000. The Texas A&M University Targeted Proposal Teams, 2025-2026).
- Tourism Resilience and Community Sustainability: Adaptation and Recovery of Rural Businesses and Destinations (USDA Multistate Research Fund, 2024-2028).