Prof. Zheng Wanhua, PhD

Prof. Zheng Wanhua graduated from the Department of Optics at Shandong University and subsequently received her Master’s degree at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). In 1994, she pursued her studies at Hong Kong Baptist University and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics in 1998. She once worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Optoelectronics Laboratories of the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Prof. Zheng currently serves as a researcher at the Institute of Semiconductors at CAS, and as the Director of the Key Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology at CAS. Being a scientific researcher, she has always worked at the forefront of scientific research, specialising in artificial microstructure materials and semiconductor laser research for an extended period of time. She has a keen insight into the key development directions of the field and was among the first to propose to the Ministry of Science and Technology the initiative of research on high-end optoelectronic chips and heterogeneous integrated optoelectronic chips in the Mainland. Prof. Zheng led the team to propose and develop the key principles and technological systems of high-performance photonic crystal laser chips and they are the first research team in the Mainland to study photonic crystal semiconductor lasers. The independent intellectual property rights of the technology they established have laid a solid foundation for the development of high-end laser chips in the Mainland.

Dedicated to the field of semiconductor lasers for over 30 years, Prof. Zheng has published more than 150 papers and achieved fruitful research results, which have been widely recognised. She was awarded the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars in 2010 and selected as a Taishan Scholar Distinguished Expert in Shandong Province in 2019 as well as serving as a member of the Eighth Discipline Evaluation Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council in 2020. She was elected as an academician of CAS in 2021. In addition, she serves as an editorial board member for journals such as Advanced Devices & Instrumentation, National Science Review and Science China: Information Sciences. Prof. Zheng has also received numerous national, ministry and provincial level scientific awards, including the second prize of the Beijing Science and Technology Award in 2013; the second prize of the National Technology Invention Awards, and the first prize of the Technology Innovation Award from the Chinese Society for Optical Engineering in 2017; the China Patent Gold Award in 2018, and the first prize of the Ministry-level Scientific and Technological Progress Award in 2020.

As a doctoral supervisor, Prof. Zheng has been working at the foremost position of talent cultivation for many years. She has spared no effort in nurturing outstanding talents in the field of optoelectronic technology in the Mainland, and has supervised over 50 Doctoral and Master’s degree students. Her rigorous academic style has earned her the respect and admiration of her students. She has been awarded the Excellent Graduate Supervisor Award by CAS for three consecutive years and received the title of the Leading Female Mentor in Science and Technology in 2023.

Prof. Zheng has always maintained a strong connection with her alma mater. She currently serves as an Honorary Professor in the Department of Physics at HKBU. Her achievements were also widely recognised by society. She has been honoured as an outstanding member of the Communist Party by CAS and was awarded the honorary title of National Model of Women’s Contributions by the All-China Women’s Federation. In addition, she was elected as a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress.

(HKBU would like to thank the award recipient for providing the information.)