He is also affiliated with Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, and Institute for Polymer Research. Dr. Zhao obtained his PhD in Chemical Engineering from McMaster University in 2004. Before joining the University of Waterloo, Dr. Zhao had worked as a NSERC postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At Waterloo, Professor Zhao has established the Laboratory of Surface Science and Bionanomaterials, working on both fundamental and applied research to meet the growing need of bionanotechnologies in advanced manufacturing, e.g. multifunctional green and smart materials and processes, additive manufacture or 3D printing.