Chao Zhao Dr. Chao Zhao is currently Head of Industrial Design Department and Director of Healthcare Design Innovation Lab in the Academy of Art and Design, Tsinghua University. He hold a PhD from Queensland University of Technology (Australia), he also get a Master of Arts degree from the Tsinghua University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Design from the Centre Academy of Art and Design (China). He has worked as a visiting Research Fellow in Queensland University of Technology and visiting Professor in Griffith University in Australia.
Dr. Chao Zhao has a strong teaching, research and design consulting background in the areas of industrial design. He has closely involved with theoretical modeling, design practice, and design evaluation of product design programs and projects as a practitioner, researcher and trainer. He has an extensive and distinguished industrial design related publication record in international journals and conferences. He has authored 9 books and 40 research papers.
In his current role as Head of Industrial Design at Tsinghua University, Dr Zhao is advancing the methods of teaching as well as course content. His work has helped establish a leading design institution by integrating multi-disciplinary knowledge, social resources and research frameworks at undergraduate and postgraduate levels of design education. Due to distinguished achievement in the research, practice, and teaching areas, Dr Zhao win the Australia China Alumni Award for Research and Innovation founded by Australia Government. He also has been selected as The Chinese Ministry of education program for New Century Excellent Talents.
The wide-scope of product design has won Dr Zhao numerous awards in his design career, including an international renowned design award ‘Red Dot Award’, and ten ‘Red Star Design Awards’. Dr Zhao has also been awarded the National Significant Product Design Award on two occasions and two Excellence Design Awards in the China National Art and Design Exhibition. His design works have also been featured in a number of international exhibition and gallery collections. Dr Zhao has patents existing on several of his product designs.