Fargo, N.D. – NDSU doctoral student Qixin Zhou of Nanjing, China, recently received a Love of Learning Award in the amount of $500 from the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. Zhou, who is studying mechanical engineering, is one of 140 recipients nationwide to receive the award, which helps fund post-baccalaureate studies and career development.

Zhou's research focuses on the degradation behavior of organic coatings under the guidance of Yechun Wang, assistant professor or mechanical engineering. She plans to use the award to attend chemical and mechanical engineering conferences.

The Phi Kappa Phi Love of Learning Award program was initiated in 2007 to help fund graduate or professional studies, doctoral dissertations, continuing education, career development and travel related to teaching and studies for active society members. The society's scholarship and award program awards $1 million each biennium to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad scholarships, member and chapter awards and grants for local and national literacy initiatives.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private research universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.