Prof. Jun Xu, Ph.D., Fellow of ASME, is the John J. and Jean M. Brennan Clean Energy Early Career Professor and an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. He is also a faculty member of Penn State’s Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) and directs the Energy Mechanics & Sustainability Laboratory (EMSLab). Prof. Xu obtained his Ph.D. degree from Columbia University in 2014.

Prof. Xu’s research integrates physics-based modeling, AI for science, advanced experimentation, and multiphysics mechanics to address fundamental and applied challenges in battery safety, durability, design, manufacturing, and recycling. His broader research interests include the mechanics and design of advanced materials and structures under coupled mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical environments. So far, Prof. Xu has published more than 170 peer-reviewed papers with over 13,000 citations.

Prof. Xu is passionate about mentoring highly self-motivated and energetic students. He takes particular pride in helping students develop into next-generation professors, scientists, and engineers, and in supporting their academic, professional, and personal growth and success.