Zheng Shiling is a professor and head of the Institute of Architecture and Urban Space of Tongji University. He is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Zheng has long been engaged in architectural design and urban planning. He started his career by teaching in Tongji University in the 1980s, and was mostly devoted to the research and teaching on architecture theories. He obtained many awards for his outstanding achievements in teaching, and has published 10 academic works and 2 translation works. He has also published over 90 papers in the academic journals at home and abroad, and has produced over 40 architectural designs and urban designs.

Zheng's academic influence and contributions has won him broad recognition in both Shanghai and the academic community in the whole country, and his professional theories has played important roles in the urban development of many cities.

Starting from 1998, Zheng Shiling began to serve as the Director of Urban Space and Environment Committee, Shanghai Municipal City Planning Administration, and participated in the research and supervision for the planning and space development strategies of Shanghai Municipality. In that year, he put forth some far-reaching thoughts for the development of Shanghai, which were subsequently adopted by the municipal government and the local planning authorities, and they promoted the urban development of Shanghai.

Since 1994, Zheng has devoted himself with great enthusiasm and energy to the protection of the historical buildings of Shanghai, and has made significant contributions to the conservation of Shanghai's historical and cultural relics, as well as its historical buildings.

Since 2000, he was actively involved in the bidding and preparations for the 2010 EXOP, and contributed his part to the successful running of this significant event.

Zheng Shiling was elected Fellow to the French Academy of Architecture in 1998; Honorary Member to the American Institute of Architects in 2002; awarded the Honorary Doctorate by the University of Rome in 2007; awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by Italian Government in that year as well; and in 2009, he was appointed as the member to the academic committee of the organizing committee for the 2015 Milan EXPO. In 2010, Zheng was awarded the title of "Outstanding S&T Personnel in China".