Zhao has published over 200 papers in international journals and obtained 20 Chinese invention patents. Zhao won many awards:
2010  Japanese Photochemistry Association Lectureship Award for Asian and OceanianPhotochemist.
2005  The Second Grade National Prize of Natural Science of China (the first contributor).
2002  The Award of Excellent Young Scientists of Chinese Academy of Sciences- Bayer (Germany).
2002  The Fiste Grade Prize of Science and Technology in Beijing (Natural Science).
2002  The Second Grade Prize Military Science and Technique Progress Prize.
1999  Be selected into the first and second levels of "the National Hundred, Thousand and Ten Thousand Talent Project".
1998  The Special Contribution Award from the State Council of China.
1997  Distinguished Young Scientists of NSFC.
1999, 2002, 2006 The Award of Excellent Advisor of Graduates of CAS.