Xiaowen Zhang

Xiaowen Zhang is a postdoctoral researcher in the Inorganic Side Streams and Cements group at the Fiber and Particle Engineering Research Unit. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Structural Engineering from Zhejiang University, China, with a joint research period at the University of Leeds, UK. Prior to joining the University of Oulu in 2024, she held postdoctoral positions at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2021–2023) and Pennsylvania State University (2023–2024).
Her research background covers the durability, microstructure, and performance of cementitious materials, with a growing focus on systems incorporating industrial by-products. She is currently investigating how organic admixtures interact with materials such as steel slag and blast furnace slag at the molecular level, aiming to support their broader use as low-CO2 alternatives to traditional cement.