2005_vprdoc PSpreads2.qxp - University of Akron

While growing up in China, Dr. Pizhong Qiao,
associate professor of civil engineering, learned the value of
higher education at an early age. It was heavily emphasized
during his upbringing and ultimately led to his undertaking a
career in academia. During his formative years, he developed an
interest in mathematics and physics that lasts to this day. “I
wanted to become a scientist,” Qiao says. “Here, I have an
opportunity to be a scientist.”
With a concentration on civil engineering and working with
materials and applications, among Qiao’s quests is to see lighter,
stronger, more durable materials used in the building of civil
infrastructure (e.g., bridges). He envisions a day when the
bridges we know — the ones built with such conventional
materials as concrete and steel — are things of the past.
“Today, most materials like polymers are being made better,”
Qiao says. “These (materials) are being used in highway construction
right now. We want to make the structures more intelligent.
My main focus is to apply those technologies of material
science and information technology into structural applications.”
Along with bridges, Qiao is looking into building a team of
researchers at The University of Akron whose sole purpose
would be to work in Qiao’s area of research, focusing on new
materials for structures. “Hopefully, in the next few years with
some hard work, we can be a nationally recognized university
in this area,” says Qiao, who has had more than 60 papers
published in journals.
Qiao’s research also has netted him a host of awards, including
The University of Akron’s Excellence Award in 2001, recognizing
his accomplishments and overall productivity in the
areas of advanced materials and mechanics in the Department
of Civil Engineering.
Among his other honors are the Excellence in
Teaching Award, 1999, West Virginia
University; the 1999 Overall Best Paper Award,
presented by the Composites Institute, Society
Qiao
of Plastics Industry, in Cincinnati; the Best
Research Paper Award, presented by the Materials
Engineering Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers;
and the 1998 Outstanding Young Researcher of the Year Award
from the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West
Virginia University.
Most recently, Qiao was recognized as the 2005 Outstanding
Researcher of the Year by the College of Engineering at The
University of Akron. This honor is bestowed upon those faculty
who conduct creative research that continually attracts outside
funding, educate students and peers by authoring journal
publications and textbooks, and receive other awards for
exemplary research work.
Qiao attributes much of that success to his relationship with
Dr. Julio Davalos, Qiao’s mentor in the civil and environmental
engineering department at West Virginia University. “He taught
me a lot about how to be successful,” Qiao says of Davalos. “He
was my mentor.”
Qiao now oversees a Ph.D. candidate of his own and beams with
pride when speaking of that relationship. He reflects on some of
the lessons learned from Davalos when it comes to dealing with
his own students. He stresses the importance of offering guidance
and leadership to the students, setting an example for them
and giving them a path to follow, whether that’s toward
academics or the professional world.
Qiao emphasized the importance of passion for the subject
matter and being able to inject that passion and energy into
everything. “What I’m doing most of the time, besides educating
people, is encouraging people to do what they want to do,” says
Qiao, whose first Ph.D. student graduated in 2003 and is now
working as a faculty member at North Dakota State University.
“They have to follow their hearts and not have people push them.
You must put your energy and your heart into things. This is what
I most often say to encourage my students.”
Yang
Shan
Sometime down the road, when Mijia
Yang and Luyang Shan are professors or
research scientists, Dr. Pizhong Qiao will
be guiding them, in an Obi Wan Kenobi sort
of way. The experience of having spent a
great deal of time under Qiao’s tutelage
will be with them.
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Qiao’s mastery goes far beyond
what is offered via textbooks,
classrooms and labs. He has been able to
reach his students on a personal level, and
the open channels of communiction
benefit the up-and-comers invaluably.
“Dr. Qiao’s attitude toward life and
research will benefit me a lot,” Yang says.
“He is like a friend to all the students in
the department. Whenever you have
questions, he will be there to help you. He
is the role model I always want to be.”
Shan praises Qiao’s quest to better advise
students and his ability to differentiate
individuals based on their personalities,
strengths and weaknesses. “He figures
them out very quickly and offers us
suggestions aimed at promoting our
maximum capacity,” she says.