The MDPI Sustainability Foundation proudly recognizes Professor Zongping Shao as a 2026 World Sustainability Award Winner for his outstanding contributions to sustainable energy research and innovation.

Professor Shao is currently a John Curtin Distinguished Professor at Curtin University, Australia, He received his Ph.D. from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences at 2000, and has hold research appointments in IRC-CNRS, France and California Institute of Technology, USA, Nanjing University of Technology, China, and Monash University, Australia during his research career.

His research advances next-generation energy storage and conversion technologies, including advanced batteries, fuel cells, solar energy systems, and hydrogen-related technologies. Widely regarded as a global leader in energy materials, Professor Shao has significantly contributed to accelerating the transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions. He has been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate for multiple years, in particular in three fields of Chemistry, Materials Science and Environmental and Ecology in 2025, reflecting the international impact and influence of his work.