DrAoni Xu

Dr Aoni Xu is a Lecturer and Sydney Horizon Fellow with the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney. Her research aims to establish a digital revolution in electrocatalysis engineering by integrating artificial intelligence, multiscale modelling, and experimental approaches to uncover dynamic structure–performance relationships and accelerate the design of next-generation energy conversion technologies.

Prior to joining the University of Sydney, Dr Xu was a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Denmark, where she developed multiphysics modelling approaches for electrocatalytic systems. She received her PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, during which she conducted research visits and established collaborations with the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Toronto.

Dr Xu has published more than 70 research articles in leading journals, including Nature, Science, Nature Catalysis, Nature Materials, Nature Synthesis, Nature Communications, Angewandte Chemie, and Journal of the American Chemical Society. Her research contributions have been recognised through the Faculty of Engineering Dean’s Award for Emerging Research Excellence at the University of Sydney and the Rising Star Award from the Women of Colour in STEM Awards. She also serves as a member of the Early Career Advisory Board of JACS Au.

Her current research focuses on transforming electrocatalysis from a trial-and-error discipline into a predictive science by developing AI-enabled approaches for understanding and designing dynamic catalytic systems.