Dr. Xinyue Ye received the 2025 AAG Distinguished Scholarship Honor for his groundbreaking contributions at the crossroads of geography, urban planning, and data science. As the Harold L. Adams Endowed Professor in Urban Planning at Texas A&M University, he has developed a comprehensive research portfolio that encompasses various fields, including geography, urban planning, computer science, engineering, medicine, and public policy. He has established innovative research labs, such as the Urban AI Lab and Computational Social Science Lab, which have significantly advanced urban informatics by utilizing cutting-edge tools like digital twin infrastructures and virtual/augmented reality to improve urban planning and resilience.
Dr. Ye has secured over $30 million in external grants, showcasing his ability to attract significant research funding. His interdisciplinary approach has promoted collaboration across 18 academic departments, leading to widely cited publications and contributions that influence policy. Dr. Ye’s dedication to community impact is evident in his projects that tackle socioeconomic disparities, enhance environmental resilience, and improve spatial data accessibility, particularly benefiting underserved communities.
Dr. Ye shares his memories about the Department of Geography and his Master’s program at UW-Milwaukee with us: “I have a special feeling for UWM Geography because, when I received my Master of Arts in Geography here in 2002, it was my first degree in the USA. Without the graduate assistantship from UWM Geography, obtaining a student visa and coming to the United States would not have been possible. Moreover, this was the first geography degree of my life, which laid a solid foundation for my career and subsequent work as a geographer.”
Congratulations on your outstanding achievement, Dr. Ye!