Dr. Zhiwu Wang and Dr. Xueyao Zhang receive 2026 CAPEES awards

Dr. Zhiwu (Drew) Wang and Dr. Xueyao (Kira) Zhang have been recognized with 2026 awards from Chinese-American Professors in Environmental Engineering and Science (CAPEES), honoring translational innovation and outstanding doctoral scholarship in environmental engineering and science.

CAPEES is a professional academic association that promotes knowledge exchange, career development, mentoring, and service in environmental engineering and science. In its 2026 award program, CAPEES recognized Dr. Wang with the CAPEES-Starlight Innovation Award and Dr. Zhang with the CAPEES-Elsevier Thesis/Dissertation Award.

Dr. Zhang, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Dr. Wang’s research group, received the CAPEES-Elsevier Thesis/Dissertation Award for outstanding doctoral dissertation work in environmental engineering and science. CAPEES describes the 2026 thesis/dissertation award as recognizing outstanding master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation work in the field, with evaluation based on the quality of the thesis or dissertation and associated scholarly publications. Dr. Zhang’s dissertation, Harnessing Haloferax mediterranei for Bioplastic Production from Organic Waste, advances waste valorization and circular bioeconomy approaches for producing biodegradable bioplastics from organic waste.

Dr. Zhiwu Wang accepts the CAPEES-Elsevier Thesis/Dissertation Award plaque on behalf of Dr. Xueyao Zhang. — Dr. Zhiwu Wang accepts the 2026 CAPEES-Elsevier Thesis/Dissertation Award plaque on behalf of Dr. Xueyao Zhang.

Dr. Wang received the CAPEES-Starlight Innovation Award, which recognizes an outstanding professor in environmental science and engineering whose work translates research into practical, impactful solutions. The award highlights Dr. Wang’s contributions to translational environmental research, including resource recovery, bioproducts, wastewater treatment, and sustainable environmental biotechnology.

Dr. Zhiwu Wang receives the CAPEES-Starlight Innovation Award. — Dr. Zhiwu Wang receives the 2026 CAPEES-Starlight Innovation Award.

The 2026 CAPEES-Elsevier Thesis/Dissertation Award and CAPEES-Starlight Innovation Award plaques.

Together, the awards reflect the research group’s continued impact in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, where students and faculty connect fundamental environmental biotechnology with real-world applications in water, wastewater, waste valorization, and sustainable resource recovery.

Congratulations to Dr. Wang and Dr. Zhang on these CAPEES honors.