Xiaochen started his PhD journey in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Center for Computational Science and Engineering in Fall 2021. He is co-advised by Rafael Gómez-Bombarelli from DMSE and is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Xiaochen received his BS in Computer Science and AB in Chemistry from Duke University in December 2020. During undergraduate studies, he performed computational research across the disciplines of chemistry, biochemistry, and materials science. Currently, he seeks to combine informatics, machine learning, and automation to accelerate chemistry and materials research. Ultimately, he wants to address challenges in energy, sustainability, and climate change.