SIUE’s Zhou Honored with ASCE Region 7 Professional Progress Award
After more than three decades in the field, Jianpeng “Jim” Zhou, PhD, PE, BCEE, professor and chair of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Department of Civil Engineering, has received one of the profession’s most respected honors in the region. Zhou is the 2026 recipient of the Professional Progress Award from Region 7 of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The award was presented in conjunction with the annual ASCE St. Louis Section Awards Banquet on Saturday, Sept. 26.
The award honors the lifetime achievements of civil engineers for their contributions, innovative ideas, research and materials. Originally established as the region’s Lifetime Achievement Award, it is given to no more than two recipients each year.
Each nominee must be a registered professional engineer and an ASCE member in Region 7, which serves members in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, as well as Illinois counties such as Madison and St. Clair that are part of the ASCE St. Louis Section.
“Although this award came to me, it speaks well about our Engineering School and the Civil Engineering Department, and it contributes to broaden the impact of our faculty and the work accomplished at SIUE,” Zhou said.
Zhou has been at SIUE since 2002. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental engineering from Tsinghua University and a doctorate in environmental engineering from the University of British Columbia. He is a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer with a specialty in water supply and wastewater. His research focuses on wastewater treatment, sewage sludge disposal and stormwater management.
In 2017, he was named a fellow of ASCE’s Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), one of ASCE’s largest institutes. The fellow grade is reserved for the institute’s most outstanding members, those recognized by their peers as leaders in water resources or environmental engineering. Last year, he received the ASCE St. Louis Section’s Professional Recognition Award, and this year’s regional honor builds on that recognition.
“Congratulations to Dr. Zhou on the ASCE Region 7 Professional Progress Award,” said Liang Cheng, PhD, Dean of the SIUE School of Engineering. “This well-deserved recognition is a testament to the outstanding achievements and real-world impact of our faculty in the School of Engineering. His leadership and dedication continue to exemplify the academic excellence we foster across our programs.”
PHOTO: SIUE’s Jianpeng “Jim” Zhou, PhD, PE, BCEE, 2026 recipient of the Professional Progress Award from ASCE’s Region 7
