EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Jianpeng Zhou, Ph.D., P.E. and chair of the Department of Civil Engineering in the School of Engineering, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant, presented by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB).
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Zhou will travel to Brazil in 2017 to conduct and expand his research project entitled, “Adaptive Green Infrastructure for Urban Water Management,” at the Institute of Hydraulic Research of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). UFRGS is one of the largest federal universities in Brazil, located in the City of Porto Alegre, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and 9,300 graduate students.
“It is an honor to join the esteemed alumni of the Fulbright program,” Zhou said. “I am excited about this incredible opportunity, not only to broaden my research and scholarship, but also to build a culturally enriched life experience, and foster increased cooperation and collaborative research in urban water management.”
According to Zhou, Brazil is experiencing rapid urbanization and population growth, which has placed high demands on infrastructure and severe urban water management problems. Likewise, in the U.S., water infrastructures in many cities require the investment of billions of dollars to address their physical and environmental issues.
“Green infrastructure integrates storm water management with landscaping, offering a holistic approach to urban water problems,” he explained. “This project will develop a fundamental understanding about green infrastructure for storm water reduction.
“By working with the faculty at UFRGS, I hope to establish collaboration for future joint research. Shared learning and development of adaptive green infrastructure will benefit engineering applications in both the U.S. and Brazil.”
About the Fulbright Program: TheFulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored bythe U.S. governmentand is designed to increase mutual understandingbetween thepeople ofthe United States and the people of othercountries.The primarysource offunding for the FulbrightProgram is an annualappropriation made bythe U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State,Bureau of Educationaland Cultural Affairs. Participating governmentsand host institutions, corporationsand foundations in foreigncountriesand in the United States also provide direct andindirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grantsare selected onthe basis of academic or professionalachievement, as wellas demonstrated leadership in their fields. The Program operates in over160 countries worldwide.
The SIUE School of Engineering offers one of the most comprehensive and affordable engineering programs in the St. Louis region with eight undergraduate degrees, five master’s degrees and a cooperative doctoral program, all housed in a state-of-the-art facility. Students learn from expert faculty, perform cutting-edge research, and participate in intercollegiate design competitions. Companies in the metropolitan St. Louis area provide students challenging internships and co-op opportunities, which often turn into permanent employment. All undergraduate programs are accredited by their respective accreditation agencies.
