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).
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: The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership in their fields. The Program operates in over 160 countries worldwide.
Photo: Dr. Jianpeng Zhou, chair of the Department of Civil Engineering in the SIUE School of Engineering.