Dr. Zhou has engaged in ceramics and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) area for 35 years and mainly focused on the development of multi-functional ceramics as well as the near-net forming technology for special-shaped or large-sized ceramic components. Currently, he is the president of Harbin Institute of Technology. Previously, he served as the head of Department of Metals Science from 1998 to 1999, dean of School of Material Sciences and Engineering from 1998 to 1999 and the vice president of Harbin Institute of Technology from 1999 to 2014.
Dr. Zhou has promoted the inventions and applications of multifunctional ceramics and CMCs at high-temperatures, which received wide recognition in ceramic industry, including (1) the invention of new typed SiO2 ceramic matrix composites that have been successfully applied at high-temperatures, (2) BN based ceramic composites used at civilian field such as side sealing material for thin strip continuous casting and nozzle, (3) proposed an inorganic route based on mechanical alloying technique to prepare low cost and environment-friendly SiBCON metastable ceramics and CMCs with good thermal stability and outstanding oxidation resistance suitable at thermal protective system, (4) and new processing technology and engineering applications of micro-arc oxidation ceramic coatings on metal surface realizing load reduction of structural parts at high-temperatures.
Dr. Zhou holds over 90 authorized patents and has published more than 380 SCI papers and 360 EI papers. Due to his great contribution to ceramic industry, he has won many awards including the one second-class National Technology Invention Prize and more than 10 first-class and second-class prizes awarded by provincial and ministerial authorities. In 2009 and 2012, he was selected as the academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and member of the World Academy of Ceramics, respectively.