HONORING DR. RUIHONG ZHANG

On 2026-04-28, Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA-4) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING DR. RUIHONG ZHANG" in the House. The speech addressed climate policy and also covered the environment, foreign policy. It referenced legislation: S2026.

HONORING DR. RUIHONG ZHANG

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 74 (Tuesday, April 28, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 28, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E383] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING DR. RUIHONG ZHANG _____ HON. MIKE THOMPSON of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 28, 2026 Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Ruihong Zhang, whom I have named the California 4th District's 2026 Climate Crisis Champion of the Year for Yolo County, in recognition of her leadership in strengthening our community's commitment to a sustainable future. Born in Inner Mongolia, China, Dr. Zhang graduated from the Inner Mongolia Engineering College of China in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science. She then went on to pursue her Master of Science in 1986 at the Northeast Agricultural University of China. After obtaining her degrees, she moved to the United States of America to pursue her Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign (UIUC). She then served as a Postdoctoral Research associate at UIUC and as an Assistant Professor at Iowa State University. She moved to Davis, California in 1995 and joined the University of California, Davis, faculty in 1995. Dr. Zhang has helped transform the ecological health of Yolo County through her research. She led the charge to develop the UC Davis Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester (READ), which converts 20 to 50 tons of waste into renewable energy and biofertilizers every day, diverting 20,0000 tons of waste from local landfills each year. This technology has been widely recognized across the Bio-Agricultural sector for addressing critical environmental and economic challenges. READ not only protects our climate by disposing of waste sustainably, but it also benefits our economy by providing cheap electricity, fuel, and fertilizer. The READ facility received the American Biogas Council's Biogas Project of the Year Award in 2015. Dr. Zhang is dedicated to educating all, especially those who run our government. She has provided policy briefings at both the California State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol on sustainable waste management. Her work has contributed to the passage of meaningful legislation like the Global Warning Solutions Act, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, and the Short-Lived Climate Pollutant legislation. Her work across the Agricultural, Environmental, and Ecological sectors has been recognized by countless organizations and groups. Her work was listed as one of the ``100 most influential contributions'' during the UC Davis Centennial. She was also recognized as a Phenomenal Faculty member by UC Davis in 2014, as an Engineer Innovator by UC Davis's College of Engineering in 2012, and she received the New Holland Young Researcher Award in 2023. She has also been honored with a Distinguished Career Award from the Association of Chinese Agricultural Biological and Food Engineers, an Achievement Award from California Bioresources Alliance, and CleanTech Innovator of the Year award from Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Ruihong Zhang, has spearheaded research that has diverted thousands of tons of waste from California landfills while transforming how we understand our environment. Her contributions have made Yolo County and the United States a better place to live. For these reasons and more, it is fitting and proper that we recognize her today as Yolo County's 2026 Climate Crisis Champion of the Year. ____________________