Lei Zhao received a bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from China University of Mining and Technology in 2004, her MSc degree from China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing) in 2007, and PhD in Applied Geology from the University of New South Wales, Australia in 2012. She is a professor at China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China. Her main research interests are mineral matter and trace elements in coal, strategically critical metals in coal-bearing sequences and coal combustion by-products, as well as environmental impact of coal utilization. She is a member of the editorial board of International Journal of Coal Geology (2015-present). She is a recipient of the National Science Fund of China for Excellent Young Scholars. She has authored and co-authored over 20 refereed journal articles, and co-edited 2 special issues for international journals.