Dr Zhong joined MSU as an Fixed-Term Assistant Professor in August 2024. His tenure track started on Jannuary 2025. Before MSU he was a post-doctoral researcher at Stanford Plasma Physics Lab, working with Prof Mark Cappelli. He obtained his PhD from Princeton (Advisors Yiguang Ju and Mikhail Shneider). Dr. Zhong’s research focuses on understanding, modeling, and controlling non-equilibrium chemical transformations. Technical contribution areas include low-temperature plasma sources, plasma chemistry, laser diagnostics, and new concepts in combustion.