Dr Xiaoshan Zhou is a newly appointed Lecturer in the School of Project Management. She is passionate about developing intelligent robots and machines that help relieve the burden of human workers in occupational environments and infrastructure systems. These robots are empowered with a "mind" (intelligence) that goes beyond mechanical assembly to become living entities that learn from, adapt to, and collaborate with people in real-world environments. Dr Zhou has so far published in leading journals across construction engineering and management, including Automation in Construction, Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, Sustainable Cities and Society, Journal of Management in Engineering, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Human Factors, to name a few. She has served as a reviewer for 20 academic journals and conferences. Before joining the University of Sydney, she received her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2026. She received her master's degree in Civil Engineering from Tsinghua University and was nominated as an Academic Rising Star there in 2023.

Dr Zhou's research advances embodied AI and physics AI for robotic platforms and human–robot interaction (HRI) through a highly multidisciplinary approach, with a particular focus on human–automation complementarity. Her work gets inspiration from many neuroscientific principles of human motor control and vision and investigates how AI (including neural networks and VLMs) and robotic control embody similar principles to navigate unstructured environments. Dr Zhou's research group offers students opportunities to explore new research frontiers while expanding their impact by developing and contributing their own passions, expertise, and research innovations to collaborative and multidisciplinary projects. Students have opportunities to work closely with industry partners and contribute to research ranging from proof-of-concept studies to potential commercialisation. The group is committed to helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and values gained through their HDR experience to support their future careers. Scholarship opportunities are subject to the availability of funding and suitable research projects. Prospective students are welcome to email Dr Zhou with their CV, research interests, and relevant research experience for enquiries.

DrXiaoshan Zhou

RESEARCH INTERESTs