Hou Haobo is a distinguished scholar and award winner of the China Youth Science and Technology Award. He is a Professor at Wuhan University and holds the title of Luo Jia Distinguished Scholar. Additionally, he is recognized as a State Council Special Allowance Expert and serves as the Chief Scientist of the National Key Research and Development Programme. He was selected as part of the ‘111’ Talent Project in Hubei Province and is acknowledged as a high-level talent for the new century in the same region.|Professor Hou has dedicated himself to teaching, scientific research, and social service focused on solid waste recycling. He has made significant contributions in areas such as the development of solid waste-based environmental materials, solid waste resource recovery, tailings consolidation and filling, and the remediation of contaminated soil. Over his career, he has led more than 60 national, provincial, and ministerial-level scientific and technological projects, including those under the National Key Research and Development Programme and the National 863 Programme.

He holds 115 national invention patents and has been instrumental in formulating 20 national and provincial industrial laws as well as local and industrial standards. Professor Hou has published a total of 318 papers, 150 of which are recognized in the Science Citation Index (SCI), along with six monographs or textbooks and six other teaching materials. He has received the 'Best Publication' award for his work.

In addition to his publications, he has been awarded 12 national and provincial/ministerial honors, including the Second Prize of the National Technical Invention Award and the Special Prize of the Hubei Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award, both of which he ranked first for. Over the past 30 years, his research and results have been applied in over 300 projects, including significant initiatives like the Yangtze River embankment seepage control and reinforcement project, as well as the first heavy metal contaminated soil treatment project authorized by the National Development and Reform Commission.

Through his work, the cumulative utilization of solid waste has amounted to 500 million cubic meters, generating direct economic benefits exceeding 28 billion yuan. His pioneering efforts have laid the groundwork for the large-scale recycling of solid waste and have significantly contributed to the movement toward a 'waste-free society.'