Xu Zuxin is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and a professor at Tongji University. In 1995, after completing her studies at the Faculty of Engineering of Sapienza University of Rome in Italy, she returned to China and joined the College of Environmental Science and Engineering at Tongji University. She has since served successively as Assistant to the President of Tongji University, Deputy Director and Director of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, Counsellor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Deputy Chief Designer of the National Major Science and Technology Special Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment, Chief Technical Director of the "Six-Water Co-Governance" initiative in Hainan Province, Chief Expert for Water Resources Protection in Dali, Yunnan Province, and a consulting expert for United Nations projects related to water resources and water pollution control.

 

She has long been dedicated to the treatment of severely polluted urban rivers. She proposed the technical concept of "systematic coupling governance" for urban heavily polluted rivers, developed comprehensive systematic solutions, and achieved remarkable results in practical applications. She served as the leader of the technical group for the comprehensive water environment management of the Suzhou Creek, making significant contributions to its water environment restoration. She has also participated in water environment governance projects in multiple Chinese cities, with notable application outcomes. She has played a leading role in the treatment of heavily polluted urban water bodies in China and holds significant influence in the field of water environment governance both domestically and internationally. As the principal lead, she has received more than 10 national, provincial, and ministerial-level science and technology progress awards.