Dr. Zhao earned his Ph.D. and Master of Science in materials science and engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, following a Bachelor of Science in applied chemical engineering from Tianjin University.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​​​‌‍‌‍‌‌‍​​​​‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Prior to joining BASIS Independent Manhattan, Dr. Zhao served as a mathematics instructor and STEM curriculum developer at the Russian School of Mathematics (RSM) in New York City, where he taught elementary through high school-aged students and designed an innovative junior engineering science curriculum. His pedagogical background also includes over six years as a teaching assistant, lab educator, and assistant lecturer at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Zhao also developed and led hands-on STEM lab sessions for visiting middle and high school students, introducing real lab equipment and guiding simplified experiments to spark interest in science. He also spent several years with a private educational company delivering math and STEM instruction for PreK-9 students.

Dr. Zhao chose BASIS Independent Manhattan for its academically ambitious culture and strong emphasis on critical thinking and interdisciplinary discovery. As an Engineering Subject Expert Teacher, he leverages his dual background as an active researcher and educator to translate complex engineering principles into accessible, inspiring, and real-world learning experiences for his students.

Outside the classroom, Dr. Zhao enjoys exploring local NYC restaurants, experimenting with cooking and baking, and staying current with emerging technologies.