She holds a Ph.D degree in textile chemistry from Donghua University in Shanghai, and an MBA degree from Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology. Her areas of interest include sustainable practices of textile processing, functional and performance textiles, and technical marketing and global supply chain management of textiles. Prior to joining FIT, Zhu served as R&D, marketing, and technical administration managers in global companies such as BASF, Cotton Incorporated, and TAL Apparel Ltd. Zhu has published multiple research papers on academic journals, presented at national and international conferences, and provided consultancy on textile technologies and marketing strategies in textile and fashion industry.