Cai Zongwei

Prof. Cai Zongwei is a Chair Professor of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). He holds adjunct positions as Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor in China and has served as Visiting Professor at Florida International University. His career includes roles as Department Head of Chemistry at HKBU, Director of the Dioxin Analysis Laboratory, and international collaborations with institutions in Germany, Sweden, and the USA.

Education: BSc (1982) from Xiamen University, China; PhD (Analytical Chemistry, 1990) from Philipps-University of Marburg, Germany. Postdoctoral research (1991–1993) and Research Assistant Professorship (1994–1996) at the University of Nebraska preceded his tenure at HKBU since 2001.

Research focuses on environmental analytical chemistry, particularly trace analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) using mass spectrometry. He pioneered methods for identifying emerging POPs linked to human health risks, contributing to environmental safety in China and Asia. As a UNEP expert, he authored all three Asia-Pacific POPs reports under the Stockholm Convention and trained over 50 Asian scientists.

Prof. Cai has published >650 papers (H-index 68), secured 38 peer-reviewed grants as PI, and serves on international review panels (e.g., European Science Foundation, Swiss NSF). He co-edits Environmental Science: Advances (RSC) and Rapid Comm. Mass Spec (Wiley).

Awards include Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, multiple national and international honors, and recognition in global citation rankings. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and policy impact through POPs monitoring and mitigation.