Zhi-Qing Lin

Zhi-Qing Lin is a Professor of Environmental Resources and Policy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and a Cooperative Faculty member with Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). He has held leadership roles such as Chair of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Director of the Environmental Sciences Program at SIUE. His research is centered on phytoremediation, biogeochemical cycling of contaminants, and plant-soil interactions, with a particular emphasis on selenium and trace elements.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of California at Berkeley, USA (1996–2000)
• Ph.D., McGill University, Canada (1996)
• M.S., Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (1986)
• B.S., Liaoning University, China (1983)

Research Focus: His interdisciplinary research program integrates laboratory, field, and theoretical approaches to develop phytoremediation technologies for cleaning up trace element-contaminated water and soil. He investigates phytoextraction, phytostabilization, phytovolatilization, and constructed wetland treatment systems. His work also delves into the biogeochemical cycles of contaminants and their transport, fate, and transformation in ecosystems, as well as ecosystem responses to phytoremediation.

Publications & Contributions: His extensive publication record includes over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, multiple edited books on selenium research, and chapters in environmental science texts. He has co-edited several influential volumes on selenium in the environment and human health, and his work has been featured in prominent journals such as Environmental Science & Technology, Journal of Environmental Quality, and Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

Professional Service & Leadership:

• Vice President, International Society of Environmental Indicators (2009–2015)
• Secretary, International Society for Selenium Research (2020–present)
• Treasurer, International Society for Selenium Research (2012–2019)
• Chair, Environmental Science Division, Illinois State Academy of Science (2004–2006)
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Environmental Indicators and Current Bioactive Compounds
• Theme Editor, Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), UNESCO
• Conference Chair/Co-Chair for multiple international conferences on selenium and phytoremediation

Grants & Funding: He has served as an invited reviewer for funding agencies including the U.S. National Science Foundation, USDA, Swiss National Science Foundation, and Qatar National Research Fund, indicating his significant role in shaping environmental research funding priorities.

Laboratory & Teaching: He teaches courses such as Applied Ecology, Toxicants in Environment: Sampling and Analysis, Environmental Sampling, and Pollution Ecology, and leads an active research group focused on environmental remediation and sustainability.