Prof. Zhou is an internationally recognized forest pathologist and mycologist. He obtained his Ph.D in 2003 under the supervision of Prof.s Mike Wingfield and Brenda Wingfield from Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, working on fungi associated with conifer-infesting bark beetles. During his early career in South Africa, he served as the president of Chinese Scholars Association there, promoting collaboration between SA and China (and beyond) in the fields of Education, Science and Technology. After returning China, he took the senior leading positions of assistant director, Research Institute of Fast-growing Trees (RITF), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), working on Eucalypt diseases and fungal diversity, and of Chief scientist and R&D head, FuturaGene Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., ltd, Suzano, working on tree improvement using biotechnology. He joined Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University in 2020. During the course of past twenty-five years, he has built actual research links with experts from six continents globally. Noticeably, Prof. Zhou has secured generous funding from various national and international organizations, supporting over 30 graduates from Africa. Currently, he serves as the editor for Forest Pathology, and the board member of Chinese Forest Protection Society. He has delivered a number of talks at various international conferences, and published over 60 papers in internationally recognized journals, representing one of the most productive Chinese scientists in the field.