CoST Chair Named Society of Fire Protection Engineers Fellow

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 4, 2020) – Aixi Zhou, Ph.D., P.E., chair of the Department of Applied Engineering Technology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has been named a 2020 Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Fellow.

Zhou, an SFPE member since 2008, was selected along with only eight other members in recognition of their achievements in the field and outstanding contributions to society. Since its inception in 1950, the international organization has named only 322 fellows out of its 4,700 members.

Along with other contributions to the society, Zhou has served on two SFPE standing committees focused on research, tools and methods and professional qualifications. He has also taught professional seminars and represents the organization as a program evaluator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology-Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission.

“I am very passionate about fire protection, and I am very humbled for my service to be recognized in this way,” said Zhou. “It’s important, in terms of diversity, to ensure that minority groups are represented in the profession, and A&T is in a unique position as a historically black university to address this issue in addition to the SFPE’s efforts.”

In 2018, Zhou joined A&T’s College of Science and Technology as department chair and professor. In less than two years, he led the department in creating an industrial fire protection course in addition to revamping the curriculum of a former program and renaming it the B.S. in Automotive Engineering Technology program. Zhou established three strategic research labs including the Combustion and Fire Systems lab, as well as the industry-oriented mentoring program for students collaborating with the department’s industrial advisory board.

Prior to joining the faculty at A&T, Zhou taught and advised students in the Fire Safety Engineering Technology Program at UNC Charlotte for more than a decade. During that time, he led efforts to create the M.S. in Fire Protection and Administration degree program in addition to the B.S. concentration in Fire Protection Engineering Technology.

As a licensed professional engineer, he consults with industry and other entities, providing his expertise in fire protection.