Zhang Zhang is currently the Associate Dean of the School of Art, Design and Media at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). She is an Associate Professor, Master’s Supervisor, and Deputy Director of the Institute of Art and Design Research. She holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and was jointly trained at Politecnico di Milano in Italy. She also served as a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the United States.

Major Honors:

Dr. Zhang has been selected for the Shanghai Chengguang Program, the Pujiang Talent Program, and the Class-A Talent Development Program at East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). She was recognized as a “Campus Rising Star” in its 5th edition and has been honored as an Outstanding Instructor in the Shanghai regional competitions of both the “Internet+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and the “Challenge Cup” Entrepreneurship Competition.

Lifestyle studies, sustainable design, and design for aging populations

Teaching & Research:

Dr. Zhang has led or participated in over ten provincial and ministerial-level research projects, including the Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project and the Category IV Peak Discipline Program in Design. She has also directed more than 20 industry-sponsored design development and consulting projects. As the institutional representative of LeNS-China (Learning Network on Sustainability), Dr. Zhang actively contributes to advancing sustainable design education. Over the past three years, she has published more than 30 academic papers, many of which are indexed in SCI, SSCI, and leading Chinese core journals. Her course Furniture Design was recognized as a Shanghai First-Class Course in 2024. Under her mentorship, students have won multiple gold medals in prestigious competitions such as the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition, “Internet+”, the “Challenge Cup”, Milan Design Week, “Creation for Youth”, and “China’s Good Design Ideas”.