Yun Zhang

Dr. Zhang received his PhD degree from the Free University of Berlin in 1997 and has been a faculty member of the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick since 2000. He is an expert in remote sensing, image processing, and computer vision, with substantial research experience in optical and radar image processing, and digital photogrammetry.

Prior to his current position Dr. Zhang gained solid research experience from and made notable contribution to several leading research institutions worldwide, such as the Technical University of Berlin, German Aerospace Center (DLR), University of Calgary, and Wuhan University.

Dr. Zhang is an inventor of 11 patented technologies (4 with his students), and 7 patent-pending technologies (1 with his student). He and his research group have developed many innovative technologies and licensed the research results to several internationally leading imaging and mapping companies, such as PCI Geomatics, DigitalGlobe, Intermap Technologies, and others. Some are used by leading industry, government, academic and military organizations globally across the five continents, including NASA, NOAA, US Geological Survey, US Department of Agriculture, Google Earth, Natural Resources Canada and Department of National Defence, Canada.

One of the technologies was selected as one of 9 Canadian outstanding research achievements for "The Better World Project 2006" and reported in the "Technology Transfer Works: 100 Cases from Research to Realization" by the Association of University Technology Managers (a professional association with more than 3,500 intellectual property managers and business executives from nearly 50 countries). Other technologies selected for the 100 Cases include those from MIT, Stanford, Yale, Columbia and other top universities. Some other technologies from his team were featured by The 20th Anniversary Book of The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) (2017), and many other media outlets such as CBC News, SNERC News, CFI News, The Globe and Mail, and Radio Canada International.

Dr. Zhang is the author of 90 plus of peer-reviewed journal papers and more than 170 refereed conference papers together with his students. He is a reviewer of 14 prestigious scholarly journals in the areas of remote sensing, photogrammetry, image processing, computer vision, and artificial intelligence.

He is the recipient of the Talbert Abrams Grand Award of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), First Place Recipient of ASPRS John I. Davidson President's Award, NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, and the First Giuseppe Inghilleri Award of International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He is also a nominee of the university teaching award.

Education

• Ph.D., Free University of Berlin/Technical University of Berlin, Germany
• M.Sc., East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
• B.Sc.E., Wuhan University, China

Professional experience

• Professor, University of New Brunswick, 2009 - present
• Canada Research Chair, 2008 - present
• Associate Professor, University of New Brunswick, 2004 - 2009
• Assistant Professor, University of New Brunswick, 2000 - 2004
• Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Calgary, 1999 - 2000
• Research Scientist, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 1997 - 1999

Distinctions

• First Giuseppe Inghilleri Award of ISPRS, 2012
• NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation, 2011, awarded by the Governor General and Commander in Chief of Canada
• John I. Davidson President’s Award for Practical Paper of ASPRS, 2009, with my PhD student Zhen Xiong
• One of 9 Canadian successful research achievements for "The Better World Project 2006" and reported in the "Technology Transfer Works: 100 Cases from Research to Realization", by the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM)
  • AUTM is a professional association with more than 3,500 intellectual property managers and business executives from nearly 50 countries.
  • Other universities made into the 100 Cases include MIT, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and Brown University from the US.
• UNB University Research Scholar, 2005 - 2007
• Talbert Abrams Grand Award of ASPRS, 2005, Yun Zhang, C. Vincent Tao, and J. Bryan Mercer
• Finalist of the Sixth Annual KIRA Award, 2004, in the category of Technological Advancement / Innovation - Public Sector
• DAAD PhD Scholarship (German Academic Exchange Establishment), 1992 - 1997