Prof. Chaosheng Zhang is an amateur photographer with a strong passion for landscape photography. If your are interested in viewing or downloading free photos taken by Prof. Zhang, please visit the following webpage:

https://www.universityofgalway.ie/ineh/gallery

Prof. Chaosheng Zhang received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1989, 1992, respectively, from Peking University, and PhD degree in 1995 from Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.

Prof. Zhang is a Professor of Geography at the University of Galway, where he teaches courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Physical Geography. He is the founding director and former head of the Ryan Institute GIS Centre. His academic expertise lies in both GIS and environmental geochemistry, as well as the emerging discipline of Medical Geology. Prof. Zhang’s research focuses on the spatial analysis of environmental variables, particularly the distribution of metals and nutrients in soils. By employing GIS, geostatistics and other spatial statistical techniques, together with machine learning, he identifies hotspots and quantifies spatial heterogeneity, providing a scientific foundation for improved environmental management, mineral exploration, precision agriculture, and public health.

Prof. Zhang has conducted research in various countries, including China, Sweden, the USA, Australia, Jamaica, and Ireland. In 2013, he was named a University Fellow at Hong Kong Baptist University. He has chaired and organized several internationally recognized conferences in the fields of environment, health, and GIS. Notable events include the SEGH 2010 International Conference and Workshops on Environmental Quality and Human Health, the SESEH 2012 Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health, the ISEH 2016 & Geoinformatics 2016 Joint International Conference on Environment, Health, GIS, and Agriculture, and the Joint Conference of ISEH, ICEPH, and ISEG on Environment and Health in 2024.

Prof. Zhang has received serval awards, including the National Conference Ambassador Award from Fáilte Ireland in 2018 and 2025 (twice), recognition as one of the “10 Leading Chinese Talents in Science and Technology in Europe” by the Federation of Chinese Professional Associations in Europe (FCPAE) in 2018, the Galway City Mayor’s Award in “Arts, Culture, Heritage & Cúrsaí Gaeilge” in 2021, and the “Distinguished Service Award” from the International Medical Geology Association in 2021.

Prof. Zhang holds the following international professional positions:

• Chair, International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) (2023.8- present)
• Vice-Chair, Scientific Committee of the UNESCO International Centre on Global-Scale Geochemistry (2025-2031)
• Chair, International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry (ISEG) International Board (2016- present)
• Founder: International Symposium on Environment and Health (ISEH, 2012- present )
• Member: IUGS Commission on “Global Geochemical Baselines” (2017-)
• Founder and Co-Chair of SEGH China-Ireland Consortium (2015-)
• Founder and Co-Chair of IMGA China-Ireland Concord (2014-)
• Past President of Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH, 2015.6-2017.10)

Editorial positions in international journals:

• Associate Editor, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Elsevier (2020.3 – Present)
• Associate Editor, Environmental Geochemistry and Health, Springer (2011-)
• Member of Editorial Board of Science of the Total Environment, Elsevier (2009-)
• Member of Editorial Board, Journal of Integrative Agriculture (JIA) (2022-)
• Member of Senior Consulting Board, Global Environmental Science (GES) (2024 -)

Keywords: GIS; Environmental geochemistry; Soil; Spatial analysis; Environment and Health; Medical Geology; Heavy metals

Specific topics: · Spatial analysis in environmental geochemistry · Spatial outliers, hot spots and spatially varying relationships· Spatio-temporal variation of heavy metals, soil organic carbon, soil nutrients · Spatial associations between environmental determinants and diseases · In-field variation of soil quality and nutrients

Geographical Information System (GIS); Statistics in Geography; Research Methods in GIS and Environmental Change; Theory and Practice in Geography; Principle in Physical Geography