New Faculty Spotlight: Kevin Xu

Assistant Professor
Department of Computer and Data Sciences

As a kid, Kevin Xu borrowed books from the library that taught him how to code his own video game using BASIC programming language. Throughout his childhood and teen years, he continued to expand his computer science knowledge and initially planned to purse the field in college, but his father encouraged him to try something slightly different. Xu received his bachelor's master's and PhD in electrical engineering before pursuing a career as a research scientist in industry for three years.

"I realized that I was really a computer scientist all along," he said. "And I also realized that I enjoy teaching in addition to research, so I decided to become a computer science professor."

After seven years at the University of Toledo, Xu joins CWRU as an assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Data Sciences with research interests in machine learning and network science. His goal is to "build data-driven models of complex systems that allow us to understand how they behave and potentially predict how they may change in the future". With a particular interest in interdisciplinary research that has wide societal impact, he has collaborated with researchers in sociology, psychology, and the health sciences.

In the classroom, Xu teaches courses on machine learning, including a special topics course for machine learning on network data. His goal is to develop students' intuition and to do so, teaches through example. "I like to use open-ended case studies to drive students' interest in a subject and develop their intuition while working on large, collaborative and open-ended problems that are more demanding than a typical homework assignment," he said. 

Learn more about Xu through these questions.

What is your favorite thing about engineering?

Combining math, science, and intuition to build things that can make an impact on people's lives!

What are you most looking forward to at Case Western Reserve University?

I look forward to collaborating with other faculty and students on large, interdisciplinary research projects in a world-class research environment!

If you’re a Cleveland local, what is your favorite thing to do in Cleveland? If you’re new to Cleveland, what’re you most looking forward to exploring?

I'm looking to explore all the metroparks with my kids!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Always try your best. Even if you don't succeed, at least you know that you tried your best!