Rate My Professor Heping Xie

Heping Xie is a Distinguished Professor at Shenzhen University and Director of the Institute of Deep Earth Sciences and Green Energy. He is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and previously served as President of Sichuan University. His work centers on rock mechanics in deep ground engineering, deep earth sciences, and green energy technologies, including direct seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production powered by offshore renewable energy, near-zero-carbon direct coal fuel cells, low-energy electrochemical CO2 capture, and geothermal energy utilization. Xie has led numerous national key R&D programs, National 973 projects, and other major initiatives supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology. His team has developed innovative approaches combining physical mechanics and electrochemistry, with key advancements published in high-impact journals such as Nature. These contributions have advanced technologies for in-situ rock mechanics, underground space development, and sustainable energy solutions, including a membrane-based seawater electrolyser and concepts for offshore hydrogen production vessels.

Xie has presided over more than 20 major national projects and established international collaborations with leading researchers from institutions including Stanford University, the University of Nottingham, and the University of Cambridge. His research has been recognized through appointments such as leadership of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Sciences and Geothermal Energy Exploitation and Utilization and participation in the Shenzhen Clean Energy Research Institute. Xie continues to influence the fields of deep earth engineering and clean energy through keynote presentations, including at international workshops on hydrogen energy, and by directing interdisciplinary teams focused on high-fidelity coring, CO2 mineralization, and low-carbon technologies.