About.

I’m Zhiyuan Xi, also known as SmartdogX. I’m a physics Ph.D. student at The Pennsylvania State University.

This website is my personal corner of the internet: a place for reflections, everyday observations, and writing in Chinese and English. You can browse the writing archive or follow the RSS feed.

I keep more formal research notes and my research diary on my PSU website. My Google Scholar profile is another way to find my research.

Education

• 2025–present — Ph.D. in Physics, The Pennsylvania State University
• 2021–2025 — B.S. in Physics, Peking University

Research interests

• Topological insulators and the quantum anomalous Hall effect
• Superconductivity, Josephson junctions, and Majorana physics
• Electronic transport at ultralow temperatures

Beyond physics

I enjoy all kinds of chess, table tennis, and football.

Awards

• Third Prize of Peking University Scholarship, 2022
• Award for Academic Excellence of Peking University, 2022