BIO
Dr. Haibin Xu was born in the rural part of Haifei City in 1976, to a father who was an educator and a mother who strongly valued education. Rather accidentally in the year Dr. Xu entered as a freshman, his preferred major of Space Sciences was not offered, so he studied Geophysics instead at the University of Science and Technology in China. Later on, this passion took him on a path to pursue his PHD at Stanford University in 1997 and additional executive leadership courses at both Stanford and Harvard Universities. Dr. Xu currently lives in Houston with his family and works as the General Manager of Shell Research Alliance. From fundraising for community initiatives to establishing Shell’s incubator on clean tech and energy in partnership with the National Renewable Energy lab of the Department of Energy of the-the U.S. Government, Dr. Xu’s work challenges societal boundaries of Asian Americans' contribution to American society. In this interview, Dr. Haibin Xu mainly covers his upbringing in China and his professional and academic trajectory in the United States. Comparing the educational, social, and cultural scenes in China to the United States, Dr. Xu discusses the influence of his Chinese identity in his academic and professional career and how it has impacted his outlook on life. Looking back at his 20 year career at Shell and Schlumberger, Dr. Xu narrates stories about his people leadership style that centers around the individual’s growth and well-being and support for a good outcome. Whether through coaching summer camps or being an advisory board member to universities like University of Houston, Dr. Xu continues to inspire the next generation of Asian Americans with a hopeful attitude and a genuine passion for the advancement of the community.