CHEN Xiaofei

CHEN Xiaofei is a Chair Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), serving as the Department Head of Earth and Space Sciences. An academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences elected in 2015, he has established himself as a leading figure in geophysics with over 260 technical publications and mentorship of more than 80 graduate students. His academic journey spans prestigious institutions including Peking University and University of Science and Technology of China before joining SUSTech in 2016.

• PhD in Geophysics, University of Southern California (1991)
• MS in Geophysics, Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration (1985)
• BS in Geophysics, University of Science and Technology of China (1981)

Professor Chen's research focuses on theoretical and computational geophysics, seismology, and their applications in earthquake hazard mitigation and earth resources exploration. His work encompasses seismic wave propagation in complex earth environments, mechanics of earthquake rupture, seismic strong ground motion simulation, and Earth's internal structure. He has pioneered advanced numerical methods for simulating seismic wave propagation, particularly in media with irregular topography and complex structures.

Analysis of Professor Chen's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on multimodal surface wave analysis, dynamic rupture modeling of major earthquakes, and innovative computational methods. His team has made significant contributions to understanding seismic wave behavior in complex geological settings, with applications ranging from earthquake hazard assessment to resource exploration. The integration of machine learning techniques with traditional seismic analysis represents a growing trend in his recent work.

• Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2015)
• Fellow, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (2015)
• Ho Leung Ho Lee Science & Technology Progress Award (2009)
• National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (1996)
• Overseas Chinese Contribution Award (2022)
• Gordon Bell Prize for Supercomputing (2017)

Professor Chen has led more than 40 scientific research projects including NSFC Distinguished Young Scholars project, outstanding innovation group project, key projects, and international cooperation projects. As mentor to over 80 graduate students, he has significantly contributed to developing the next generation of geophysicists. His leadership extends to academic service as President of the Chinese Geophysical Society (2017-2022) and various editorial roles for leading geophysics journals.

His research group maintains strong collaborations with international institutions and operates advanced computational facilities for seismic wave modeling and analysis. The group is particularly known for developing the curved-grid finite-difference method for simulating seismic wave propagation in media with complex topography and irregular interfaces.