Hey! Glad you’re here!
I’m Xitong Sun, a first-year M.S./Ph.D student in Mechanical Engineering at University of Texas at Austin.
I received my B.E. degree in Microelectronics Science and Engineering in July 2025 at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), a young university established in 2010 in Shenzhen, China (a short story about SUSTech). During my undergraduate studies, I conducted research on MEMS-based gas sensors under the supervision of Prof. Fei Wang.
In August 2025, I was proud to join the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the longhorns and begin my M.S./Ph.D studies in Mechanical Engineering. Since then, I have explored a range of research areas, and my current interests focus on advanced modeling and control techniques for high-performance power electronics, as well as emerging power electronics based on piezoelectric passive components.
I have experience in IC-level design and simulation (e.g., Cadence Virtuoso), system-level design and prototyping (e.g., KiCad, PLECS, Code Composer Studio (CCS)), as well as cleanroom-based device fabrication.
Looking ahead, I plan to re-apply to PhD programs in Fall 2027, with a focus on Power Electronics!
Please feel free to contact me at xitongsun@utexas.edu
📖 Education
- 2025.08 - now, M.S./Ph.D. Student in Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin (UT).
- 2021.08 - 2025.07, B.E. in Microelectronics Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech).
- 2023.06 – 2023.08 Summer Session, University of California, Berkeley.
📝 Research and Publications
Advised by Prof. Fei Wang
- This work, for the first time, realized the patterning of different gas-sensing materials through multiple photolithography steps, and combined the sensor array with a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to accurately identify different gases and concentrations.
Design and Fabrication of LN-Based Piezoelectric Isolation Transformers
Advised by Prof. Ruochen Lu
- This ongoing project focuses on the design, modeling, and microfabrication of lithium niobate (LN)-based piezoelectric isolation transformers for emerging power electronics applications.
- Different LN and isolation-layer thicknesses are studied to evaluate their effects on electrical isolation and acoustic coupling.
- The work aims to explore piezoelectric isolated transformer structures as potential alternatives to conventional magnetic components in compact and high-performance power conversion systems.
Advanced Modeling and Control Techniques for Multiphase Buck-Type Power Converters
Advised by Prof. Yicheng Zhu
- This ongoing project focuses on advanced modeling, simulation, and control techniques for multiphase buck-type power converters. The work includes literature review, simulation-based verification, and comparative analysis of different control methods in terms of stability, transient performance, complexity, reliability, and practical implementation considerations.
-
MEMS Gas Sensor Arrays with Multilayer of Nanomaterials Patterned by Wafer-Level Photolithography Process, X. Sun, J. Li, T. Cheng, and F. Wang, Transducers 2025, Orlando, FL, USA.
-
MEMS Gas Sensor with On-chip Electrospun Ru-SnO₂ Nanospheres Patterned by Photolithography, J. Li, X. Sun, T. Cheng, and F. Wang, IEEE SENSORS 2024, Kobe, Japan.
-
MEMS Acetone Gas Sensors with Eu-doped SnO₂/In₂O₃ Nanofibers Using Electrospinning and Lithography Patterning Technique, T. Cheng, J. Li, G. Niu, X. Sun, and F. Wang, IEEE SENSORS 2024, Kobe, Japan.
-
MEMS Gas Sensors with Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Materials Patterned at Wafer-Level by Photolithography Technique, X. Liu, G. Niu, J. Li, Y. Zhuang, X. Sun, and F. Wang, IEEE SENSORS 2023, Vienna, Austria.
🎖 Honors and Awards
- 2025 Cockrell School of Engineering Fellowship, The University of Texas at Austin
- 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Graduate/Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis, Southern University of Science and Technology
- 2024 National Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China
- 2024, 2023 First-Class Scholarship, Southern University of Science and Technology
🔥 News
- 2026.03: Joined Prof. Ruochen Lu’s RAM Lab at UT. Grateful for this opportunity!
- 2025.08: Started my Ph.D. studies in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin!
- 2025.08: Awarded the Cockrell School of Engineering Fellowship at The University of Texas at Austin.
- 2025.07: Received my B.E. degree from SUSTech. Deeply grateful to Prof. Fei Wang and all members of the MEMS Group. I will always cherish my wonderful time at SUSTech.
- 2025.06: Received the Outstanding Undergraduate Graduate and Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis awards from Southern University of Science and Technology.
- 2025.06: My paper on MEMS gas sensor arrays was presented at Transducers 2025 in Orlando, Florida.
- 2024.12: Awarded the National Scholarship!
- 2024.10: My paper on MEMS gas sensors was presented at IEEE SENSORS 2024 in Kobe, Japan.
😎 Play Hard
I graduated from Southern University of Science and Technology in 2025. I am deeply grateful to all the teachers, friends and family members who supported me along the way. SUSTech gave me countless precious memories, I will keep these precious memories in my heart forever.
In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball. I proudly support the Houston Rockets and the Texas Longhorns. My favorite player is Kevin Durant — graduated from UT and now play for Houston Rockets.
I’m also a big fan of classical music. I spent four joyful years with the SUSTech Philharmonic, and one year as orchestra president. I participated in more than 20 performances. I also enjoy attending concerts and have heard performances by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and National Symphony Orchestra. My favorite piece is Sibelius’s Violin Concerto in D minor.
I also love traveling and exploring different landscapes. Yosemite is my favorite national park.
