“Soil is the last line of defense for human survival,” said Professor Cao Xinde, executive vice dean of the SJTU School of Environmental Science and Engineering. “Research on soil and the environment may not be world-changing science, but our research will lead the development of this discipline.”

Not only has Professor Cao made outstanding contributions in teaching and research at SJTU, but he has also participated in many national projects in the field of soil contamination and environmental protection. He has also published over 70 SCI-indexed research papers and is a highly cited scholar globally.