Zheng was born in Xiangshan County, Zhejiang, on 5 November 1961.[1] After resuming the college entrance examination, in 1979, he enrolled at Zhejiang Engineering College (now Zhejiang University of Technology), where he majored in the Department of Chemical Machinery.[1]
After graduating in 1983, he stayed at the university and worked successively as an instructor (1983–1995), associate professor (1995–2000), full professor (2000–present), deputy dean of the School of Biological and Environmental Engineering (2006–2010), and dean of Biological and Environmental Engineering (2010–2020).[1]