Professor Min Zou Receives SEC Faculty Achievement Award

Whit Pruitt

Dr. Min Zou

The Southeastern Conference has honored Min Zou, Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering, with the 2023 SEC Faculty Achievement Award for the U of A.

"Dr. Min Zou is a shining example of our amazing faculty in the College of Engineering, from her groundbreaking research in nanomaterials to her outstanding and inspiring work with mechanical engineering students," said Dean Kim Needy. "We are overwhelmed with joy to see Dr. Zou's achievements honored in this way, and we are celebrating her award with as much enthusiasm as any SEC win on the field or court."

Every year, the SEC recognizes faculty with outstanding records in research and scholarship from each of its member universities with SEC Faculty Achievement Awards. After the SEC Faculty Achievement Awards have been announced for each university, the SEC selects the SEC Professor of the Year from the group of recipients.

The U of A will recognize Zou for receiving the SEC Faculty Achievement Award during Faculty Appreciation Week, which is the second week of April. Zou will be recognized at the Provost's Faculty Reception to be held April 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House.

"I owe this award to my mentors, collaborators and talented students who make my career at the University of Arkansas so fun and rewarding," said Zou, who holds the 21st Century Chair of Materials, Manufacturing and Integrated Systems. "I'm honored and humbled to have been selected by our provost and supported by my department head and Dean Kim Needy for this prestigious award."

Joining the U of A in 2003, Zou has served in the Department of Mechanical Engineering as an assistant professor, associate professor, professor and distinguished professor. Zou is also a faculty member of the Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and the interdisciplinary Microelectronics-photonics (microEP) Graduate Program at the U of A.

Zou is a leader in the fields of mechanical engineering, materials science and nanotechnology, and she is internationally recognized for her expertise in nanoscale surface engineering, nanomechanics and nanotribology. She has received numerous awards and honors for her groundbreaking research, including the prestigious National Science Foundation Career Award (2007), two Al Sonntag Awards (2021 and 2013), the Edmond E. Bisson Award (2019) and the Walter D. Hodson Award (2001) from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), where she is also a fellow. She has been recognized by the Arkansas Alumni Association with the Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award for Research (2018) and by the Arkansas Research Alliance, which named her a fellow in 2015. She is also a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

In addition, Zou has led over $30 million in extramural research funding. Her research has been cited and published in more than 134 peer-reviewed publications, four book chapters, seven granted and four pending patents, and 36 best paper, poster or business competition awards.

The technology developed in Zou's lab has led to the creation of two startup companies, which have received over $5 million in support from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. This technology has made a significant impact on many industries and has been used in a wide range of applications including tribology, solar panels and LED lighting.

Zou received her bachelor's and master's degrees in aerospace engineering from Northwestern Polytechnical University, China, and she received her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to joining the U of A, she worked at the Shanghai Aircraft Research Institute and was a senior advisory development engineer and staff engineer at Seagate Technology, where she contributed to developing new technology involving the computer hard drive head-disk interface.

"We applaud Dr. Zou for receiving this great honor," said Terry Martin, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Dr. Zou is a distinguished professor and well known for her research in nano-surface engineering. She has made tremendous contributions to the research activities of our university, as well as brought cutting-edge technology to the forefront of the engineering field."

To learn more about the SEC Faculty Achievement Awards, visit thesecu.com. For more information about Zou's research, listen to this episode of the U of A's Short Talks from the Hill podcast.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.