Professor Zhong Zhihua (July 8th, 1962- ), an expert in automotive engineering, was elected Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2005.

He was born in Xiangyin County, Hunan Province. He obtained his doctoral degree in engineering in 1988 from Linkoping University, Sweden. Professor Zhong once served as member of the Experts Committee of Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Technology of the "863 Program" during the 10th Five-Year Plan period. Now Professor Zhong is president of Hunan University and tutor of students studying for their doctor's degree. He is also concurrently a member of the Discipline Appraisal Group of the Academic Degree Committee of the State Council, and a member of the Division of Industry of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ministry of Education.

Professor Zhong has long been engaged in the design of automobiles and the research on and application of manufacturing technologies and his research mainly focuses on the auto collision security technology, the punching and shaping technologies of the auto body, as well as modularity and light-weighing auto technologies. He has presided over many national research projects on the theories and methods in the above-mentioned fields, the research and development of engineering software, equipment and new products, and manufacturing techniques at home and abroad.

Also, he has conducted many international cooperative projects and important research and development projects for enterprises, put forward many new theories and methods, and developed a number of new techniques, equipment and products.

Professor Zhong has published over 120 papers and three books. His papers included in SCI have been cited for 200-odd times. The projects he led won nine awards, including one first and one second prize of National Science & Technology Progress Award, two first and two second prizes of Science & Technology Progress Award at ministerial or provincial level, one second prize of the Technical Invention Award by the ministry; one second prize of the Natural Science Award by the ministry. He has obtained six invention patents. He has supervised 39 master students and 27 doctoral students.

Professor Zhong was honored with more than 10 awards and honorary titles, including Guanghua Engineering and Technological Sciences Award (Youth Award), the first prize of the General Motors China Scientific and Technological Achievement Award in 2000, and Hunan Guangzhao Scientific and Technological Award.