Professor Guangzhao Mao is an internationally recognised academic in the field of chemical engineering. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in chemistry from Nanjing University in China and completed her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in chemical engineering at the University of Minnesota in the United States. Professor Mao is professor and head of School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. She is an adjunct professor at UNSW and served as its head of School of Chemical Engineering from February 2020 to September 2024. 

Professor Mao's primary area of research revolves around nanotechnology, with a focus on cutting-edge projects in electrochemistry for the scaling up of nanosensors and the engineering of nanoparticles for precise drug delivery. Her innovative work in this domain has made a substantial impact on the field. Professor Mao is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), a testament to her significant influence within the profession. Professor Mao has received other prestigious awards including a Faculty CAREER Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation, a Fulbright Senior Scholarship, and an ELATE Fellowship. The latter facilitated intensive academic leadership training at the International Center for Executive Leadership in Academics. Professor Mao has had extensive collaborations with both international and industrial partners. She served as a visiting professor at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany, fostering global academic exchange. While working at UNSW, Mao served as Chief Investigator of several centres and hubs funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC).