The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center has named Qianyun (Gloria) Zhang, an assistant professor in the NMSU civil engineering department, as the first recipient of the Aggie Construction Innovator of the Year Award.
The recognition honors a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding leadership, creativity and impact in the field of construction. The inaugural award is presented by the Mike Hunt Construction Sprints program, a cornerstone initiative of the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship that aims to accelerate business growth through innovative construction technologies.
Named in honor of Mike Hunt, vice chairman of the board of directors for Hunt Companies, the program equips NMSU civil engineering students with a robust platform to develop entrepreneurial skills and pioneer transformative ideas in the construction industry.
Recipients of the Aggie Construction Innovator of the Year Award have made significant contributions through groundbreaking research, sustainable building practices or the development of novel construction processes. By pushing the boundaries of traditional construction, they embody the Aggie spirit and strengthen NMSU's reputation as a leader in transformative solutions for the construction industry.
Zhang's innovative work in structural health monitoring, cutting-edge materials research and data-driven construction solutions exemplifies the spirit of this new award. Her dedication to mentorship and student engagement further amplifies the impact of her research, inspiring the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs.
"I am deeply honored to be recognized as the inaugural recipient of the Aggie Construction Innovator of the Year Award," Zhang said. "The Mike Hunt Construction Sprints program has fostered an environment where ideas flourish and students learn to become tomorrow's leaders in construction technology. I'm grateful for this support and look forward to continuing our work at Z-Lab, where we strive to push the boundaries of what's possible in civil engineering and beyond."
Zhang is the founder of Z-Lab, located in NMSU's civil engineering department. Z-Lab's mission is to explore transformative and revolutionary solutions to contemporary civil and general engineering challenges, focusing on three core research areas: structural health monitoring, functional materials and structures, and machine learning/data science. Her research has already been showcased in two major entrepreneurship events, the Bold Idea Challenge and Aggie Shark Tank, where two of her Ph.D. students secured first place and garnered investor interest, respectively.
"At the Hunt Center, we believe innovation is the driving force behind both economic prosperity and sustainable progress," said Carlos Murguia, director of the Hunt Center. "The Mike Hunt Construction Sprints program is designed to empower our civil engineering students to think boldly, collaborate effectively and solve real-world challenges. Seeing its impact come to life through extraordinary faculty achievements, such as Dr. Zhang's, is a testament to the program's success and the future of innovative construction at NMSU."
A formal award presentation will take place Feb. 27 during the NMSU's Hult Prize Student Idea Pitch competition. The Hult Prize Pitch Competition will spotlight civil engineering students with groundbreaking ideas in construction technologies, addressing global challenges while fostering entrepreneurship and creating social impact in their field.
Free tickets to attend the event are available at https://lu.ma/28n08r67.
For more information about the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship, contact Murguia at
The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/zhang-named-first-recipient-of-nmsu-s-hunt-center-construction-innovator-award/s/0e9e2362-9bde-43cb-b9ff-68463618a7dd
