Cheryl Xu
Associate Professor

- 919-515-5271
- cxu24@ncsu.edu
- Engineering Building III (EB3) 3156
- Visit My Website
Dr. Chengying “Cheryl” Xu’s research interests are advanced manufacturing of multifunctional materials, sensor design and manufacturing in harsh environments, process optimization, sensor-based health monitoring and control through artificial intelligence (AI). Dr. Xu is active in conducting research in the field of materials processing and advanced manufacturing and has attracted a high level of research funding. She joined in NC State University in 2018. She was an Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida (2007-2013) and was an Associate Professor at Florida State University (2014-2018). She co-authored a textbook (Intelligent Systems: Modeling, Optimization and Control, CRC Press, 2008) and have published five book chapters. Dr. Xu chaired the 1st NSF National Wireless Research Collaboration Workshop in 2015 and serves as an Associate Editor of ASME Transactions, Journal of Micro- and Nano- Manufacturing in 2015-2019.
Dr. Xu’s research focus is manufacturing of multifunctional ceramic materials, especially on their electrical/dielectric, mechanical, and thermal properties, and how to manufacture such materials for high temperature applications. Such studies provide great flexibility in design and manufacturing and meet a wide range of application requirements, such as high temperature sensor design, electromagnetic (EM) absorption material, high temperature radio frequency (RF) transparent materials, metamaterial designs for extreme condition applications, etc. The capabilities to effectively integrate these technologies and materials into applicable devices are critical for industry and the federal government laboratories. Her research interests have been in the field of advanced manufacturing, and to apply the knowledge and experience to help bring engineering components and devices for next generation energy, environmental, aerospace and defense applications, with specific focuses on the following aspects:
- Research and development of novel multifunctional materials with desirable structures/functionalities;
- Developing practical/robust manufacturing processes to transform new materials into engineering components and devices;
- Understanding the fundamental physics and chemistry of advanced manufacturing processes;
- Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) into manufacturing processes.
Education
Mechanical Engineering
Purdue University
Mechanical Manufacturing and Automation
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Electromechanical Engineering
Qingdao University
Honors and Awards
- Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2020
- Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2020
- Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2018
- College, Research Excellence Award, Florida State University , 2017
- University, Grant Assistant Program (GAP) Award, Florida State University, 2017
- Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2016
- University, Grant Assistant Program (GAP) Award, Florida State University, 2016
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Education Society, Teaching Award, 2015
- University, Research Incentive Award, University of Central Florida, 2013
- University, Teaching Incentive Award, University of Central Florida, 2012
- Office of Naval Research (ONR), Young Investigator Award, 2011
- Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME), Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, 2011
- Oak Ridge Associated University Visiting Industrial Scholar Award, 2008
Publications
- Dielectric and mechanical properties of hypersonic radome materials and metamaterial design: A review
- Kenion, T., Yang, N., & Xu, C. (2022). [Review of , ]. JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2021.10.006
- Electron beam sintering (EBS) process for Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) and the comparison with traditional UHTC sintering and metal Electron Beam Melting (EBM) processes
- Pasagada, V. K. V., Yang, N., & Xu, C. (2022), CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.12.229
- A Deep Learning Approach in Optical Inspection to Detect Hidden Hardware Trojans and Secure Cybersecurity in Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chains
- Kulkarni, A., & Xu, C. (2021), FRONTIERS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING-SWITZERLAND. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2021.709924
- Additive manufacturing of ZrB2-ZrSi2 ultra-high temperature ceramic composites using an electron beam melting process
- Jia, Y., Mehta, S. T., Li, R., Chowdhury, M. A. R., Horn, T., & Xu, C. (2021), CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL, 47(2), 2397–2405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.09.082
- Printable Materials for Additive Manufacturing in Harsh Earth and Space Environments
- Schrand, A. M., Kolel-Veetil, M., Elston, E., Neff, C., Ajayi, T., & Xu, C. (2021), In M. L. Terranova & E. Tamburri (Eds.), Nanotechnology in Space. CRC Press - Taylor & Francis Group.
- Temperature and Pressure Wireless Ceramic Sensor (Distance=0.5 Meter) for Extreme Environment Applications
- Daniel, J., Nguyen, S., Chowdhury, M. A. R., Xu, S., & Xu, C. (2021), SENSORS. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21196648
- Complex impedance spectra of polymer-derived SiC annealed at ultrahigh temperature
- Jia, Y., Chowdhury, M. A. R., & Xu, C. (2020), JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17395
- Dielectric properties of polymer-derived ceramic reinforced with boron nitride nanotubes
- Jia, Y., Ajayi, T. D., & Xu, C. (2020), JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17301
- Electrical Conductivity and Structural Evolution of Polymer Derived SiC Ceramics Pyrolyzed From 1200°C to 1800°C
- Chowdhury, M. A., Wang, K., Jia, Y., & Xu, C. (2020), Journal of Micro and Nano-Manufacturing. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4046191
- Multifunctional Ceramic Composite System for Simultaneous Thermal Protection and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding for Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites
- Jia, Y., Ajayi, T. D., Wahls, B. H., Ramakrishnan, K. R., Ekkad, S., & Xu, C. (2020), ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES, 12(52), 58005–58017. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c17361
Grants
- Electromagnetic Property Measurement Apparatus of Ceramic Materials at High Temperature Environments
- US Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)(9/15/21 - 9/14/22)
- Accelerating Delivery of a Secure Hypersonic Sensor Network
- Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)(4/09/20 - 6/06/20)
- MRI: Acquisition of a Large High-Temperature Vacuum Press for Advanced Materials Research, Manufacturing and Training at NC State University
- National Science Foundation (NSF)(8/01/20 - 7/31/23)
- Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature and Dopant on the Frequency-Dependent and Temperature-Dependent Electromagnetic Properties for Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) Reinforced Ceramic Composites
- US Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)(11/15/20 - 11/14/22)
- A Hybrid Multi-functional Composite Material by Co-curing Lay-up Process for Enhanced Thermal/Chemical Stability and Surface Durability
- US Navy-Office Of Naval Research(11/01/18 - 8/31/21)
- Manufacturing Hybrid Multi-functional Composite Skin Materials via Standard Prepreg Lay-up Process
- US Navy-Office Of Naval Research(7/01/18 - 12/04/18)