Zhiwu Zhang

Zhiwu Zhang is an Associate Professor at Washington State University (WSU), affiliated with the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences within the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). His research focuses on developing statistical and computational methods to address challenges in genomics and phenomics, particularly in crop improvement and climate resilience. Key areas include genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genomic prediction, and applying machine learning to analyze complex agricultural data.

Dr. Zhang holds a PhD in Statistical Genetics from Michigan State University (1998) and a PhD in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Northeast Agricultural University, China (1991). He teaches CROP SCI 545: Statistical Genomics, which covers GWAS and genomic selection, and has contributed to software tools like GAPIT and GridFree for genomic analysis.

His research spans topics such as climate adaptation in alfalfa, disease resistance in wheat, and integrating environmental data with genomic predictions. Notable awards include the 2021 Early Career Excellence Award from CAHNRS. He collaborates on USDA-funded projects to advance genomic selection and phenotyping technologies, emphasizing sustainable agriculture and food security.