Zhang Pingwen graduated from School of Mathematical Sciences of Peking University and obtained the degree of Doctor of Science in 1992. He was selected as the Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2015, Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) in 2016 and Fellow of Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) in 2020.

He is currently the Vice President of Peking University, Professor in School of Mathematical Sciences of Peking University, President of Innovation Education and Research Institute of Peking University, Director of National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Analysis and Application Technology of Peking university and President of China Society for Industry and Applied Mathematics (CSIAM). His research interests include mathematical theory and computing method of complex fluids, and big data analysis & application, etc.