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Xuejun Fan, professor of mechanical engineering has been awarded the Texas State University System Regents’ Professor Award for 2019. This prestigious award honors university professors for exemplary performance and contributions to the educational community.

Fan, an internationally renowned scholar and expert in modeling and characterization in electronic packaging design and reliability relating to the microchip packaging, joined the Â鶹ÊÓƵ faculty in 2007.   

Since that time, Fan has won multiple awards for research and teaching, including the University Scholar Award, the Distinguished Faculty Research Fellow and 2018 University Professor and Mary Ann and Lawrence E. Faust Endowed Professor. He has authored and edited four books, published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers, filed five patents around the world and won several research grants worth millions of dollars.

“Dr. Fan is a born teacher with exceptional communication and strong passions for teaching,” said Hsing-Wei Chu, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “He extends his teaching extensively beyond the classroom to spend hours and hours with students in labs, field testing, competitions and conferences.”

Fan has mentored more than 20 undergraduate students to participate in research, and six students have gone on to pursue doctorate degrees.

Fan received his Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science degree in Applied Mechanics from Tianjin University in Tianjin. He earned his doctorate degree in Solid Mechanics from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.

After becoming the youngest full professor in China at the age of 27, Fan moved abroad, and in 2000, moved to the United States, where he held positions at Phillips Research and Intel Corporation.

While in industry Fan pioneered work in moisture related reliability of the semiconductor computer microchip. His book, “Moisture Sensitivity of Plastic Packages of IC Devices”, has been downloaded more than 30,000 times since its publication in 2011.  

“The work, solving the moisture problem was my signature work,” said Fan. “So now I am known as the ‘moisture man.’”

After several years in industry, Fan resumed his career in academia at Â鶹ÊÓƵ.

“It was always my dream to be a professor,” said Fan. “I have a passion for teaching, and I am proud of the students we have at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, many of whom are first generation college students. It is satisfying to see that by the end of their years here, they are well-prepared and ready to join the workforce.”