Deng Receives ASME Fellowship and Career Achievement Award

Zhiqun (Daniel) Deng, Lab Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has been named as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding engineering achievements. The distinction recognizes Deng’s pioneering contributions to sensors, acoustic telemetry, energy harvesting, and ecohydraulic systems—technologies that have shaped global efforts in aquatic research, hydropower innovation, and river restoration.

Deng’s election as an ASME Fellow comes on the heels of his recent receipt of a Career Achievement Award from the Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science for his work in fish passage research and technology development, which spans over two decades. The joint committee, founded by The American Fisheries Society Bioengineering Section and the American Society of Civil Engineers Environmental and Water Resources Institute, fosters collaboration between fisheries scientists and engineers to advance fish passage and river restoration. 

“I am truly humbled to receive these recognitions,” Deng said. “It is a testament to the tremendous teamwork of many individuals over the years, including numerous former and current research associates and students, colleagues, academic and industry collaborators both domestically and internationally, mentors, and sponsors.” 

Director of PNNL’s Bio-Acoustics and Flow Laboratory and adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, Deng is a globally recognized leader in sensing technologies who has dedicated his career to advancing new technologies for use in energy and environmental applications. He has led the development of innovations, such as the Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS), the autonomous Sensor Fish, and the award-winning Lab-on-a-Fish. These technologies have enabled researchers to track fish behavior, assess energy infrastructure-fish interactions, and study aquatic environments at unprecedented levels of detail and scale.  

Deng’s research and inventions have had a wide-ranging impact. His injectable acoustic transmitters and autonomous Sensor Fish have been widely adopted by researchers and dam operators to inform turbine design and improve fish survival. His patented systems have supported environmental conservation research efforts and hydropower advancements domestically and internationally, in the United States, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Kenya, Korea, Laos, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Spain, and Thailand. His bat tag—a miniature, long-range radio frequency transmitter—has enabled detailed tracking of bats and small bird species to inform wind energy development and invasive species management. His most recent work includes developing motion- and ocean-powered sensor systems that advance marine energy and cost-effective, long-term monitoring efforts. 

With 19 issued U.S. patents, 10 pending applications, and nine technologies commercially licensed, Deng’s innovations have been credited with creating economic value, improving energy infrastructure, and protecting keystone species. He has authored over 160 journal articles, 150 reports, and more than 100 conference papers. He also serves on editorial boards, international standards committees, and advisory groups for energy and environmental technologies.

Deng is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of researchers. He has supervised 50 postdoctoral or post-master’s researchers and provided research opportunities for more than 50 undergraduate students from universities, including Carnegie Mellon University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Stanford University, Texas A&M University, University of Minnesota, University of Texas, University of Washington, Washington State University, and Yale University. Many of his mentees have gone on to successful careers in academia and national laboratories. 

Among his many accolades, Deng has received the PNNLs Laboratory Director’s Award for Exceptional Engineering Achievement, the 2022 PNNL Inventor of the Year, the 2020 Federal Laboratory Consortium Excellence in Technology Transfer Award, the 2021 R&D 100 Award, was named a Distinguished Inventor of Battelle in 2024, and was elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. 

“My passion for energy and our environment has made it a privilege to work at the intersection of these fields,” Deng said. “I am honored to receive this fellowship and Career Achievement Award. I look forward to continued collaboration in addressing fish passage and water power research topics.”