Xiao Zhang, professor in the Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering and professor of chemistry at the Bioproducts Science and Engineering Laboratory on the WSU Tri-Cities campus is one of WSU’s 2025 Showcase Honorees, receiving the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award. The University’s annual awards recognize outstanding members of the WSU community for their scholarly achievements and professional acumen.

Zhang has led the development of a number of bio-based product innovations for industrial applications, including: a cellulose-based coating for plant protection, foam packaging technologies, and lignin-derived composites and chemicals. In 2023 Zhang was named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors. Congratulations, Xiao!