Prof Zhou Kun elected Fellow of the Royal Society

Prof Zhou Kun from NTU Singapore has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to science.

Election to the Fellowship is regarded as one of the highest honours in science. Past Fellows include some of the most influential figures in history, such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.

Of the 94 Fellows elected this year, Prof Zhou is the only one based in Singapore.

Prof Zhou, who is Associate Chair (Research) at NTU’s School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, is internationally recognised for his pioneering contributions to additive manufacturing and the contact mechanics of heterogeneous materials.

By integrating insights from multiple disciplines, his research has addressed fundamental challenges in additive manufacturing and elucidated the mechanisms governing the behaviour and performance of heterogeneous materials under complex loading conditions, while advancing the translation of foundational discoveries into practical engineering applications.

His work has also accelerated knowledge transfer and contributed to the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies by international industry partners.

Through the development of new materials, processes and design methodologies, his research aims to enhance mechanical performance, cost-effectiveness and sustainability across advanced manufacturing and engineering applications.

Prof Zhou is also a Foreign Member of Academia Europaea and a Fellow of several international scientific societies, including the American Physical Society. He received the 2026 J. N. Reddy Medal and currently serves as Chair of the Singapore Adhering Organisation to the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics.

“I am deeply honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and am grateful for the support of my students, collaborators, colleagues and NTU throughout my research journey,” said Prof Zhou. “This recognition encourages me to continue pursuing fundamental research in mechanics and additive manufacturing, and to translate this knowledge into next-generation materials and manufacturing innovations.”