Professor Shao’s research has encompassed atmospheric science, computational fluid dynamics, nonlinear science, and hydrology, with particular attention to aeolian physics, dust-emission mechanisms, and the simulation and prediction of dust storms. His work has contributed to the development of physical approaches to wind-blown sand and dust processes, including a convective dust-emission parameterisation scheme based on explicit physical mechanisms. In hydrology and climate research, he developed the Atmosphere–Hydrology Modelling System (AHMS) for watershed water-resource simulation and studies of climate-change impacts. More recently, his research has addressed interdisciplinary human–Earth system coupling through the HESCOR project, including the concept of “human ecological niche potential” and the development of the “Our Way” palaeo-human migration model. He has authored more than 230 peer-reviewed publications in international journals, with more than 16,000 citations reported as of 2024. His research has contributed to dust-emission modelling for numerical dust-weather prediction systems, including quantitative simulation of dust-source regions, concentrations, transport, and deposition, as well as improvements in the simulation of surface runoff and flood peaks using the AHMS framework. Through sustained interdisciplinary research and international scientific collaboration, Professor Shao has contributed to connecting atmospheric and aeolian physics with environmental prediction, water-resource assessment, and the study of human–Earth system interactions.