About Me

Hi, I’m Sizhe (Alex) Xu 👋

I am a Master of Science student at New York University, working with Prof. Takahiro Yabe at the RUN Lab. My research interests lie at the intersection of LLMs, Reinforcement Learning, Time-Series Prediction, and Computer Vision, with a particular focus on their application in building smarter and more efficient cities now.

I am actively seeking Ph.D. opportunities for Fall 2026. I am eager to join a research group where I can contribute to developing next-generation intelligent systems and tackle fundamental challenges in areas like LLMs, Embodied AI and Urban Computing.

Recent Highlights 🎉:

• Dec 2025: I will be attending NeurIPS 2025 in San Diego.

• Sept 2025: Our paper, “Abstain Mask Retain Core: Time Series Prediction by Adaptive Masking Loss,” was accepted as a Spotlight poster at NeurIPS 2025.

Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to connect!

Academic Journey 🎓

• Master of Science in Urban Data Science, New York University
  • Capstone mentored by Prof. Takahiro Yabe.
• Bachelor of Engineering in Electronic Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University
  • Capstone with Prof. Jingjing Zong & mentor Prof. Shijie Jia.

Outside Research

My approach to technology is shaped by pursuits beyond the lab. You might find me in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes—a process of creativity and precision not unlike building a model. I find a similar sense of structure and harmony in classical music, which reminds me of the elegance that can be found in complex systems. For a different kind of immersive challenge, I enjoy exploring the intricate world of Elden Ring and Dark Souls III. These interests, grounded in a long-standing engagement with philosophy, reinforce my core conviction: that our work as technologists should be thoughtfully crafted to serve and uplift humanity.

Contact

• Email: sizhe [dot] xu [at] nyu [dot] edu