Kexin Xie

Kexin (Kathy) Xie grew up in Hunan Province, China, a place known for its love of spicy food—and she shares that love too! She earned her B.S. in Physics from Beijing Normal University and her M.S. from Rice University, where she studied nanofabrication and investigated the coupling between photonic crystal cavities and atomic-scale light-emitting junctions under Prof. Douglas Natelson. She is now a PhD student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, exploring her interests in quantum photonics. Outside the lab, Kathy enjoys climbing, playing tennis, and spending time with friends.

Recommended Reading: "Man’s Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl — a powerful reflection on surviving the Holocaust and how finding purpose can help us through even the hardest times. Highly recommended for anyone seeking inspiration, perspective, or a deeper sense of meaning.