Distinguished Global Alumni Award honors Xu She’s clean energy impact and global journey

Xu She, Ph.D., recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Global Alumni Award, credits his time at NC State for transforming his career and opening doors to unprecedented opportunities. Now leading innovation in clean energy at Lunar Energy, Xu continues to give back by mentoring students and advancing sustainability on a global scale.

As students prepare for graduation, they are often encouraged to “shoot for the moon” because missing it would still land them among the stars. Xu She, the senior director of engineering for Lunar Energy and the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Global Alumni Award, received similar advice when he graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China and “took his shot” when he joined the doctoral program in electrical engineering at NC State University in 2009.

“Joining NC State was definitely the right decision for me since it completely changed my trajectory,” he said. “Before coming to the U.S., I never imagined the opportunities I would have or the path my life would take.”

Having recently completed his master’s degree in China, She was part of the inaugural group of students recruited to work with the Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Engineering Research Center that was newly established in 2008 when the National Science Foundation chose NC State to lead an effort to create a modern power grid alongside other universities and industry partners.

“It was an ideal place for my graduate studies,” he added. “It was a world-class facility with distinguished faculty doing some of the most cutting-edge research in renewable energy and storage.”

Home Away From Home

The FREEDM Systems Center became She’s second home during his four years at NC State where he spent every day interacting with most, if not all, of the faculty members there. He appreciated how diverse and global the student population was, and that helped make the cultural transition to life and academics in the U.S. easier.

“We had students from all over the world, including Asia and Europe, and it really made me feel supported and at home throughout my whole time at NC State,” he said.

As a proud alum, She continues to support and advocate for the university and the center, and his influence has even inspired his wife and cousin to become NC State alumni. He is grateful for the financial support the university was able to provide because it made his and his wife’s academic journey possible.

“NC State laid a strong foundation for my career and played a major role in shaping the person I am today,” he added.

A Rising Star

Since completing his Ph.D in electrical engineering in 2013, She has taken on lead engineering roles in large companies like General Electric and Carrier Corporation. Now at Lunar Energy, a startup in Silicon Valley, She leads the electrical engineering group that developed and launched award-winning energy storage products for residential applications. He has published more than 75 papers and holds more than 40 patents, with many of his inventions having been successfully commercialized. His technologies and products are now deployed across the globe, contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Although She has already received numerous prestigious industry awards, he continues to find time to stay connected to the NC State community. He serves as a mentor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Mentoring Program and continues to collaborate with NC State professors, contributing to funding proposals and research publications.

“As an international student, giving back to the university is important to me because I have gone through the process and I understand the challenges the students might be facing and how I can help them better prepare for their careers,” She said.

Keeping close ties with the university also provides She access to a pool of highly-qualified talent. He has already hired more than a dozen NC State students, offering them opportunities as interns and full-time employees and helping to shape and launch their careers.

Looking Forward

Currently, She is working on a modular energy storage system that is designed to make solar power and energy storage more accessible for consumers in their homes but could also function like a virtual power plant to support the energy grid in case there is an outage or other emergency. 

“I hope to continue driving innovation that helps make clean energy more accessible, reliable and user-friendly, especially at the residential level,” he said. “I hope to be remembered as someone who helped accelerate the transition to clean energy through meaningful innovation and solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.”

And his advice for this future generation that’s getting ready to graduate?

“Don’t be afraid to dream big,” he encouraged. “Believe in your own potential and don’t underestimate the value of your unique perspective.”