Prof Dr. Wenjing Zhang | Environmental Science | Research Excellence Award 

Jilin University | China

Professor Wenjing Zhang is an established scholar in hydrology, groundwater science, and environmental systems engineering, with internationally recognized contributions to subsurface contaminant transport, groundwater pollution risk assessment, and multi-phase, multi-media environmental processes. She received her Ph.D. in Hydrology and Water Resources from Jilin University and completed postdoctoral research at Beijing Normal University, followed by academic advancement to Full Professor at the College of New Energy and Environment, Jilin University. Her research integrates hydrological processes, geochemical interactions, microbiological dynamics, and environmental risk modeling to address complex challenges in groundwater and soil environments under natural and anthropogenic stressors. A central focus of her work is the transport and fate of pathogens, viruses, and colloids in porous media, particularly within the capillary and vadose zones, where coupled physical, chemical, and biological processes govern contaminant migration across groundwater–soil–atmosphere interfaces. Professor Zhang has led multiple nationally funded projects as Principal Investigator, including a National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program and key subprojects under the National Key R&D Program of China. These projects investigate critical mechanisms such as ssRNA virus transport at multiple spatial scales, DNAPL solid–liquid–gas multiphase partitioning, and cross-media interfacial migration and transformation. Her research outcomes have advanced scientific understanding of pathogen mobility, colloid-facilitated transport, and redox-driven contaminant attenuation, while also supporting the development of multidimensional groundwater pollution risk early-warning systems and real-time monitoring technologies. Her scholarly work is widely published in leading international journals, including Science of the Total Environment, Environmental Science & Technology, Journal of Hydrology, Environment International, and Geoscience Frontiers, where she has frequently served as sole first author or corresponding author. These publications are characterized by strong interdisciplinary integration, combining laboratory experiments, field investigations, and process-based modeling to bridge fundamental science with practical environmental management. In addition to academic publications, Professor Zhang has contributed to technology transfer and policy-relevant outcomes through software systems for groundwater monitoring and risk forecasting, which have been applied in contaminated site management and regional groundwater protection. Her research achievements have been recognized through multiple provincial-level Science and Technology Progress Awards and national technology promotion honors. Through sustained innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and leadership in major research programs, Professor Wenjing Zhang continues to play a pivotal role in advancing groundwater environmental science and supporting sustainable water resource protection in China and beyond.

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