Professor Xu named ‘Researcher to Know’ by Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
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MIE Assistant Professor Jie Xu has been named a 2019 Researcher to Know by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC). He is one of only 21 distinguished researchers from 10 universities across Illinois to receive the honor.
A key goal of the Researchers to Know list, which is in its second year, is to increase awareness of the groundbreaking research happening on campuses across Illinois and highlights outstanding researchers who have made a significant impact in their field. It provides a more detailed look at some of the researchers that are driving innovation in the state—from those advancing new treatments in medicine, to those revolutionizing computing and shaping new technologies in the 21st century. The ISTC is a member-driven nonprofit that measures, connects, and advocates for Illinois’ research and innovation community.
“This will help me gain more visibility and potentially establish more collaboration in the future. Moreover, my name was listed among famous professors from University of Chicago, Northwestern and UIUC, which will help me, as well as UIC, build up the reputation, especially to the general public,” said Xu, who is the director of the Microfluidics Laboratory at UIC. Xu is also a core faculty member of the Center for Advanced Design and Manufacturing of Integrated Microfluidics (CADMIM), the nation’s only center on Microfluidics.
Microfluidics deal with the behavior and control of fluids constrained to a submillimeter scale. In his lab, he studies microfluidics to develop new fluidic chips, biosensors, and micro and nano transport devices. His discoveries have the potential to address pressing problems in energy, the environment, and health. Xu is working on microfluidic biosensors that provide a cost-effective, user friendly, and reliable tool to detect pathogens in our food supplies and even help in early cancer detection.
Xu has an outstanding funding record in his early career, receiving a DARPA Young Faculty Award and the prestigious NASA Early Career Faculty Award — along with other NSF, NIH, DOD, and internal UIC awards. His work has raised nearly $2 million in support. In addition to his funding success, Xu has published prolifically, with more than 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, and more than 2,000 citations, which gives him an H-index of 25.
Additionally, Xu received both a Research and a Teaching Award from College of Engineering, and he was named 2018 UIC Researcher and Scholar of the Year in the Rising Star category. In the past few years, he has supervised six PhD students (five on-going), three postdoc researchers, and two visiting professors. He has graduated 10 masters’ students with thesis and has supervised many undergraduate researchers, visiting student researchers and high school researchers. The level of student advising activity of Xu is remarkable and is a testimony of his commitment to excellence in research and education.
Learn more about his research at Microfluidics Laboratory.