Professor Hui Zhang Elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering

On May 15, 2025 (local time), the Canadian Academy of Engineering officially announced the results of its 2025 Fellow election. A total of 50 new Fellows and 7 International Fellows were elected. Professor Hui Zhang, a Distinguished Full Professor at Guangdong University of Technology (GDUT), has been elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Professor Hui Zhang Elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering

Author: Source: Date Published: May 20, 2025, Views: 184

On May 15, 2025 (local time), the Canadian Academy of Engineering officially announced the results of its 2025 Fellow election. A total of 50 new Fellows and 7 International Fellows were elected. Professor Hui Zhang, a Distinguished Full Professor at Guangdong University of Technology (GDUT), has been elected as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Professor Zhang joined GDUT full-time in early 2022 and established a research platform on micro/nano-scale coating materials and technologies. He has since built a team of nearly 30 researchers and led the development of the Greater Bay Area’s most advanced powder coating research laboratory, which has already started to yield notable research results. In line with the government’s strategy of integrating industry, academia, and research, Professor Zhang also co-founded Guangdong Xidun Qianjiang Powder Paint Scientific Research Co., Ltd., a high-tech enterprise in Foshan supported by local authorities. This fast-growing industry-university collaboration platform not only enables university research to align closely with industrial needs but also accelerates the commercialization of scientific outcomes. It has also become a practical training base for GDUT students, with over 100 undergraduate and postgraduate students having interned or conducted research at the site.

Professor Zhang is a leading expert in powder coatings, micro/nano particle functionalization, and micro/nano functional thin-film materials and technologies. He has supervised more than 100 master’s and doctoral students and postdocs (over 20 currently at GDUT), published over 200 papers and monographs, and holds more than 30 invention patents across China, the United States, and Europe. Many of his patented technologies have been industrialized in China, the U.S., and Canada, making him one of the most prolific scholars globally in this field.

According to the official citation from the Canadian Academy of Engineering: “Dr. Zhang is a global authority in sustainable coatings who has demonstrated exceptional strength in diverse activities, from conceptual innovation to technology development and product commercialization. His pioneering research and multidimensional leadership have yielded several game-changing green technologies and commercial products... His dedication has led to renowned and transformative technologies and businesses that are reshaping the coatings industry, accelerating the shift from pollutant-heavy to eco-friendly solutions. His achievements not only significantly elevate Canada’s prominence in this field, but also bring worldwide benefits to society. ”

The title of Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE) represents one of the highest distinctions in the Canadian engineering science and technology community. Fellows are rigorously selected by the Academy from among the nation's most distinguished experts and professors who have demonstrated national leadership and excellence in the field of engineering. As a national think tank, the Academy’s Fellows play a vital role in advising on the formulation, evaluation, and strategic planning of major science and technology initiatives, providing critical decision-making support for the country’s technological advancement.

Professor Hui Zhang received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from Sichuan University and taught there for several years before pursuing his PhD at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) in Canada, which he completed in 1999. He has served as Technical Director at Liffey Powder Coatings in Canada, Senior Researcher and PhD supervisor at the Particle Technology Research Centre at UWO, Director of the Micro/Nano Powder Technology Laboratory, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. He has led numerous national and provincial research projects in Canada and received multiple awards, including the UWO Engineering Award (WEAR). He has also collaborated extensively with multinational companies such as General Motors, Ford, and Evonik, and developed world-leading ultra-fine powder coating technologies, which were among the first to be adopted in the automotive industry.

Professor Zhang joined GDUT full-time in early 2022 and established a research platform on micro/nano-scale coating materials and technologies. He has since built a team of nearly 30 researchers and led the development of the Greater Bay Area’s most advanced powder coating research laboratory, which has already started to yield notable research results. In line with the government’s strategy of integrating industry, academia, and research, Professor Zhang also co-founded Guangdong Xidun Qianjiang Powder Paint Scientific Research Co., Ltd., a high-tech enterprise in Foshan supported by local authorities. This fast-growing industry-university collaboration platform not only enables university research to align closely with industrial needs but also accelerates the commercialization of scientific outcomes. It has also become a practical training base for GDUT students, with over 100 undergraduate and postgraduate students having interned or conducted research at the site.

Professor Zhang is a leading expert in powder coatings, micro/nano particle functionalization, and micro/nano functional thin-film materials and technologies. He has supervised more than 100 master’s and doctoral students and postdocs (over 20 currently at GDUT), published over 200 papers and monographs, and holds more than 30 invention patents across China, the United States, and Europe. Many of his patented technologies have been industrialized in China, the U.S., and Canada, making him one of the most prolific scholars globally in this field.

According to the official citation from the Canadian Academy of Engineering: “Dr. Zhang is a global authority in sustainable coatings who has demonstrated exceptional strength in diverse activities, from conceptual innovation to technology development and product commercialization. His pioneering research and multidimensional leadership have yielded several game-changing green technologies and commercial products... His dedication has led to renowned and transformative technologies and businesses that are reshaping the coatings industry, accelerating the shift from pollutant-heavy to eco-friendly solutions. His achievements not only significantly elevate Canada’s prominence in this field, but also bring worldwide benefits to society. ”

The title of Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE) represents one of the highest distinctions in the Canadian engineering science and technology community. Fellows are rigorously selected by the Academy from among the nation's most distinguished experts and professors who have demonstrated national leadership and excellence in the field of engineering. As a national think tank, the Academy’s Fellows play a vital role in advising on the formulation, evaluation, and strategic planning of major science and technology initiatives, providing critical decision-making support for the country’s technological advancement.

Professor Hui Zhang received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from Sichuan University and taught there for several years before pursuing his PhD at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) in Canada, which he completed in 1999. He has served as Technical Director at Liffey Powder Coatings in Canada, Senior Researcher and PhD supervisor at the Particle Technology Research Centre at UWO, Director of the Micro/Nano Powder Technology Laboratory, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. He has led numerous national and provincial research projects in Canada and received multiple awards, including the UWO Engineering Award (WEAR). He has also collaborated extensively with multinational companies such as General Motors, Ford, and Evonik, and developed world-leading ultra-fine powder coating technologies, which were among the first to be adopted in the automotive industry.