Jingnan Xie

Dr. Jingnan Xie is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Millersville University, specializing in theoretical computer science. His research spans formal languages, automata theory, computational complexity, computable analysis, and quantum computing.

• Millersville University of Pennsylvania
• Ph.D. in Computer Science (2017) from University at Albany, SUNY

His work explores computational parallels among automata theory, real function analysis, and quantum models, with a focus on bridging classical complexity theory and modern applications in AI/ML. Key contributions include foundational studies on multi-pattern languages, L-systems, and cellular automata.

Recent research trends highlight collaborations at the intersection of vulnerability detection, large language models (LLMs), and quantum computing. Papers in Theoretical Computer Science, Acta Informatica, and Cluster Computing underscore his interdisciplinary impact.

Awards include the 2025 PACISE Best Faculty Paper Award and the 2025–2026 PASSHE FPDC Grant for quantum computing research. He serves as a reviewer for journals like Natural Computing and Information and Computation.

Dr. Xie mentors students like Emily Riley, who joined NC State’s Ph.D. program. He leads the TheoryX Lab, which investigates foundational questions in theoretical computer science, with funding from PASSHE and collaborations with Dr. Harry Hunt, Dr. Richard Stearns, and Dr. Ching-Sheng Lin.