Xia Chen

Dr. Xia Chen is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), working at the Georg Nemetschek Institute (GNI) within the Chair of Computing in Civil and Building Engineering. His research focuses on human-AI alignment, knowledge-integrated machine learning, and bio-inspired adaptive intelligence, with applications in engineering and scientific contexts.

Dr. Chen earned his Ph.D. with summa cum laude distinction from Leibniz University Hannover and Technical University Berlin. His dissertation, "Beyond Predictions: Alignment between Prior Knowledge and Machine Learning for Human-Centered Augmented Intelligence," established foundational work in aligning AI systems with human cognition and decision-making processes. Prior to his current position, he was a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment (CBE).

Dr. Chen's research interests center on developing AI systems that enhance rather than replace human capabilities in engineering contexts. His work spans several interconnected areas: human-AI alignment, where he explores how artificial systems can dynamically align with human cognition and values; knowledge representation and reasoning, focusing on integrating domain knowledge with data-driven approaches; machine learning methodologies that incorporate physics-based constraints; and applications of AI in the built environment for energy-efficient design and sustainable infrastructure.

His publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on bridging the gap between theoretical AI advancements and practical engineering applications. Dr. Chen has pioneered approaches like component-based machine learning (CBML), which transforms system-level extrapolation problems into component-level interpolation challenges, making AI more robust with limited data. His recent work on symbolic neural networks for building physics and causal inference in design processes represents cutting-edge integration of domain knowledge with machine learning.

• summa cum laude PhD distinction from Leibniz University Hannover and TU Berlin

Dr. Chen has contributed to several national research initiatives (DFG, BMBF), with projects ranging from component-based machine assistance to forecasting frameworks for energy systems. His work at the E.ON Energy Research Center (RWTH Aachen) involved meta-neural network ensembles for renewable prediction and economic evaluations of the German Energy Transition. He actively serves as a reviewer for venues including Advanced Engineering Informatics, Energy and Buildings, EG-ICE, and IBPSA.

Dr. Chen's research is conducted within TUM's vibrant ecosystem for computational engineering, with connections to the Georg Nemetschek Institute's focus on digital transformation in the built environment. His work intersects with several research groups including those focused on Information Management, Digital Twinning, and Knowledge Representation and Reasoning within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.