Currently, Yi Zhang is the Deputy Dean of The College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and the Director of the Engineering Research Center of Fujian and Taiwan Specialty Marine Food Processing and Nutrition and Health, Ministry of Education. In 2020, she was selected as the 16th China Youth Science and Technology Award recipient; in 2019, she was selected for the fourth Batch of National "Ten Thousand Talents Program" Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent; in 2018, she was selected as the Young and Middle-aged Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent of the Ministry of Science and Technology; and in 2016, she was awarded the title of Expert with Special Government Allowance of The State Council. She is also chairman of Fujian Food Additives and Ingredients Industry Association, vice-chairman of Fujian Food Industry Association and vice-chairman of Fujian Nutrition Society. She has long been engaged in fruit and vegetable processing, starch chemistry and function, Marine food processing and natural product research and development.