Prof. ZHAO Jidong Received Chandrakant S. Desai Excellence Medal and Elected as Chairman of Two Technical Committees

Prof. ZHAO Jidong, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Chandrakant S. Desai Excellence Medal by the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG) and elected as chairman of two esteemed technical committees in computational geomechanics.

Chandrakant S. Desai Excellence Medal by IACMAG

Prof. Zhao received the medal from IACMAG President Prof. John P. Carter on December 19, 2025, during the 2025 IACMAG Conference hosted at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The award is presented every three to four years and Prof. Zhao is only the second Hong Kong-based scholar to receive the medal to date.

Established in 1988, IACMAG promotes interdisciplinary research in geomechanics, bridging civil, mechanical, hydraulic, geological, and materials engineering, as well as geophysics. The medal honors individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions in research and education, especially in constitutive modeling, computer methods, and innovative applications in geomechanics.

Chair of Technical Committee 103 (TC103) on Numerical Methods in Geomechanics of ISSMGE

Prof. Zhao has been elected as the new chair of TC103 of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). Succeed a line of eminent scholars in leading the committee – one of ISSMGE’s largest – comprising almost a hundred members, Prof. Zhao’s vision for TC103 will be built on three core principles: integration, innovation, and impact (3Is). His key goals with the committee include advancing multi-scale and multi-physics modeling to tackle grand challenges like climate-related geo-hazards, fostering innovation through community benchmarking and shared resources, as well as strengthening the bridge between academic research and industry practice to ensure real-world impact.

Chair of Technical Committee for Computational Granular Mechanics of CSTAM

Prof. Zhao assumed the role of the chair of the Technical Committee for Computational Granular Mechanics under the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (CSTAM) on January 1, 2026. He is the first Hong Kong-based chair for this Technical Committee. The role highlights his foundational research and authority in the specialized modeling of granular materials, a critical research area beyond geomechanics.

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