Xiaozhao Li is a professor of geological engineering at the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, the Director of Institute for Underground Space and Geo-environment at Nanjing University (NJU-IUSG), director of Nanjing Innovation Centre for Shallow Geothermal Development Industry (ICSGI).

 

He received his BEng, MEng and PhD degrees from the State Key Discipline for Geotechnical Engineering at China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT). He was a Postdoctoral researcher in the State Key Discipline for Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology at Nanjing University (1996-1998), a Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (2005, 2015), a Guest Professor in Institute of Applied Earth Sciences at Graz University of Technology in Austria (2008) and a Invited Visiting Professor in Laboratory of Engineering and Environmental Geology at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (2011).

 

His current research focuses on: 1) Urban underground sustainable development: impacts of underground engineering on geological environment, mechanism of interaction between developments of different urban underground resources (space, water, energy and material) and methodology of sustainable urban underground development (e.g. Energy Geostructure); 2)Characterization and modeling of fractures at different scales; 3)Radioactive waste disposal: site investigation and characterization, design principle and construction methods for depository & Underground Research Laboratory (URL), etc.

 

His researches have been granted by National Key Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), Chinese National Science Foundations, also inter-governmental and internatioanl JRP program, such as Sino-Swiss Science and Technology Cooperation (SSSTC) and EU-FP7-Marie Curie IRSES. He has won 8 national awards, including the first prize for scientific and technological progress awarded by China Education Ministry in 2001, National Award for Youth Scientist in Geology in 2001 and “New Century Excellent Talents in University” awarded by China Education Ministry in 2004.

 

He is the author of more than 150 papers, has gained the Second Prize for Excellent Textbooks in China. He has been invited to deliver more than 30 keynotes and plenary lectures in academic conferences, served on about 30 scientific committees in national and international conferences. He has been also invited to deliver 9 lectures in universities and research organizations. 

 

He is active members of many academic societies, such as Member of Working Group 15-Underground and Environment of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES), Core member of International Geotechnical Safety Network (GEOSNet), Vice chair of Chinese Society for Underground Space, Vice chair of Waste Underground Disposal Committee of CSRME (China Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering), Vice chair of China Society for Underground Space, Vice chair of Youth Committee of CSRME, Vice chair of Tunnel and Underground Works Risk Control Committee of China Civil Engineering Society. He is on the editorial boards of Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering and Journal of Basic Science and Engineering.

 

He has also been invited as evaluation experts by many agencies, such as such as National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), China Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), China Ministry of Education (MOE) and China Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Development Centre (CDGDC). He has participated advisory and consulting works for large-scale engineering projects in different counties, e.g. he was appointed the chair of review panel for the geotechnical investigation of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Oversea Channel(including bridges, subsea tunnels and artifical island) which calls for a total investment of over 72 billion RMB. He is one of the main experts invited by central government and stakeholders on Chinese Nuclear Waste Disposal Program.