Research Interests

Her research focuses on sustainable thermal energy technologies, bridging functional materials, devices, and systems to develop efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for future thermal management and energy conversion.

• Caloric cooling & heating
• Micro- & nanoscale thermal technologies
• Thermoacoustic technologies
• Smart materials & actuation
• Thermal energy harvesting

Featured Research

Heat-Driven Elastocaloric Cooling with Shape Memory Films, Nature Energy (2026)

Heat-driven solid-state cooling using shape-memory films, enabling refrigeration powered by waste heat or solar thermal energy.

Read the Article →  |  KIT Press Release →

Selected Honors & Awards

• ERC Starting Grant, European Research Council, 2026
• L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award, 2025
• MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35, 2025
• Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, 2024
• Fraunhofer UMSICHT-Wissenschaftspreis, 2024
• Hector Research Career Development Award, 2024
• Ökologiepreis, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 2024
• Sadi Carnot Young Researcher Award, International Institute of Refrigeration, 2023
• George T. Mulholland Memorial Award, Cryogenic Society of America, 2021
• MIT Chemical Engineering Rising Stars, MIT, 2021

Publications & Patents

To date (September 2026), Dr. Xu has published more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, one book, one book chapter, and 14 granted patents.

Selected Publications

• Hsiau, Y.-T., Miyazaki, S., Kohl, M. & Xu, J *. Heat-Driven Elastocaloric Cooling with Shape Memory Films. Nature Energy (2026).

Professional Activities

• Member, Global Young Academy
• Junior Fellow, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
• Associate Editor, Applied Energy
• Junior Commission Member, International Institute of Refrigeration

Academic Career

• 2023–present     Head of ZEco Thermal Lab, Institute of Microstructure Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
• 2021–2023        KIT YIG Prep Pro Fellow and Humboldt Research Fellow, Institute of Microstructure Technology, KIT
• 2020–2021         Research Associate, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London
• 2018–2020        Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
• 2013–2018        PhD, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• 2017                 Visiting PhD Researcher, Institute of Applied Physics, University of Giessen

Featured Media

German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, “Jingyuan Xu Receives the Leopoldina Prize for Young Scientists.” [Feature →]

Deutschland.de, “Die Ingenieurin, die Kältetechnik revolutioniert.” [Interview →]

Join the ZEco Thermal Lab

We welcome talented and motivated researchers and students interested in sustainable thermal energy technologies, including caloric cooling and heating, functional materials, micro-energy systems, modelling, actuation, and energy harvesting.

Opportunities are available for postdoctoral researchers, PhD researchers, Master's and Bachelor's students, and visiting researchers. Prospective candidates are invited to contact Dr. Xu with a brief introduction, CV, research background and interests, and preferred starting date.