Xiaoyue Ding

About Xiaoyue Ding

Staff Research Scientist and technical leader with 10+ years driving innovation in optical systems, hardware architecture, and advanced photonics for next-generation AI and consumer electronics. Proven track record leading cross-functional teams (20+ engineers) and $5M+ programs to deliver breakthrough hardware solutions—achieving >10x cost reductions, 2x performance improvements, and accelerating development timelines by 1+ years. Expert in translating cutting-edge research into scalable, high-impact products across AR/VR and display technologies, with deep foundations in wave optics applicable to sensing, LiDAR, and perception hardware systems.

Experience

1. Staff Research Scientist

   Meta

   Feb 2025 — Present

   Principal Investigator & Technical Lead – Novel Optical Architecture Program ($5M Budget)- Spearheaded breakthrough optical system development, coordinating 4 technical leads and 20+ engineers across design, materials, fabrication, and metrology to deliver industry-first hardware prototypes. Orchestrated alignment across system architecture teams, directors, and VP-level stakeholders on technical requirements and program milestones- Architected scalable optical system using proprietary high-refractive-index materials, achieving >10x fabrication cost reduction, 2x brightness improvement, and 3x enhanced contrast/resolution vs. conventional approaches- Accelerated technical learning cycle by >1 year through strategic program pivots and streamlined cross-functional workflows, establishing monthly leadership updates and quarterly deep-dive reviews- Secured $5M program funding for 2026 by demonstrating first-ever functional prototypes and establishing clear path to high-volume manufacturing- Drove organizational strategy shift by identifying and validating novel substrate materials, enabling transition from legacy platform and de-risking multi-year product roadmapDesign Architecture Lead – Advanced Waveguide & Sensor Systems- Invented and led development of novel display concept, selected as organizational priority for 2026; mentored research intern to evaluate design space and resolve first-order technical challenges- Designed next-generation active optical architectures with 2x reduction in fabrication complexity, enabling early vendor engagement and accelerating prototype builds for executive-level demonstrations- Established design standards and simulation pipelines adopted across organization for performance evaluation and system-level optimization- Mentored 3 new design engineers on optical system fundamentals, cross-functional collaboration, and organizational best practices, becoming go-to technical consultant for hardware architecture questions

Education

• Tsinghua University

  Bachelor of Science , Physics

  2009 — 2013

• Cornell University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Applied Physics

  2013 — 2020