2026 – 2029 Presidential Research Professor
Weidong Zhu
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Weidong Zhu is widely recognized as a leader in the field of dynamics and vibrations. Since he joined UMBC in 1999, he has developed an internationally competitive program in the field, and has developed many new theories and experiments. Over his exceptional career, he has produced 415 peer-reviewed articles in top-ranked journals in his field, in addition to 170 peer-reviewed conference papers. Zhu holds 13 issued U.S. patents, has received 17 best paper awards, and has been awarded more than $7 million from external research funding sources, such as 10 major NSF research awards including the NSF CAREER Award and MRI Awards. His research has significantly impacted the quality of everyday life for many people, including by producing safe and efficient structures such as elevators, wind turbines, and automotive transmissions.
Zhu is passionate about sharing his knowledge and research with society. He has given 240 presentations at major international conferences, delivered 70 keynote addresses, and given 155 talks at companies and institutions around the world. His productivity as a researcher at UMBC is recognized as one of the strongest at the institution. His contributions have been innovative and highly impactful. As a result of his expertise, numerous large companies have called on Zhu to address many of the large challenges they face. Zhu supports student research, and serves as a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students. He has graduated 33 Ph.D. students and 37 MS students. His students have won prestigious awards such as the NSF CAREER Award.
His passion for research extends beyond UMBC. Zhu has worked to get high school students excited about research by providing opportunities to underserved students in the Baltimore region. More than 120 students have participated in the program. He earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering and computational science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, his M.S. in mechanical engineering from Arizona State University, and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.