An interdisciplinary scientist, aiming to understand Earth (sub)surface processes through studying its smallest components,specifically nanominerals and microbes, and through illuminating a collection of microscopic processes involving these components; also a passionate educator trying to make science education attractive, thought-provoking, and leading to innovations.

• Ph D in Geoscience, University of Wisconsin - Madison (2011)
• MS in Environmental Science and Engineering, Stanford University (2005)
• BS in Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2004)

• Phase, morphology, elemental composition, and formation mechanisms of biogenic and abiogenic Fe-Cu-sulfide nanoparticles: A comparative study on their occurrences under anoxic conditions American Mineralogist 104 (2019), Muammar Mansor, Debora Berti, Michael Hochella, Jie (Gail) Xu.
• Nanoparticulate nickel-hosting phases in sulfidic environments: Effects of iron and bacterial presence on mineral formation mechanism and solid-phase nickel distribution Frontiers in Earth Sciences 7 (2019), Muammar Mansor, Christopher Winkler, Michael Hochella, Jie (Gail) Xu.
• Influence of Structural Defects on Biomineralized ZnS Nanoparticle Dissolution: An In-Situ Electron Microscopy Study Environmental Science & Technology (2018), Jeremy Eskelsen, Jie (Gail) Xu, Michelle Chiu, Ji-Won Moon, Branford Wilkins, David Graham, Baohua Gu, Eric Pierce.
• Cytotoxicity of TiO2 Nanoparticles toward Escherichia coli in Aquatic Environment: Effects of Nanoparticle Structural Oxygen Deficiency and Aqueous Salinity Environmental Science: Nano 4 (2017), Yukun Qin, Xingpan Guo, Feiyun Tuo, Jingnan Feng, Jie (Gail) Xu, Bo Chen, Min Liu, Yi Yang.
• Efficacy of Acetate-Amended Biostimulation for Uranium Sequestration: Combined Analysis of Sediment/Groundwater Geochemistry and Bacterial Community Structure Applied Geochemistry 78 (2017), Jie Xu, Harish Veeramani, Nik Qafoku, Gargi Singh, Amy Pruden, Ravi Kukkadapu, Michael F. Hochella.

• Crystallization Water of Gypsum as a Potential Water Source for Bacterial Communities in Arid Gypsic Environment (2019), Volume Carlsbad, NM, Jie (Gail) Xu, Brandon Lajoie, Ben Brunner, Richard Langford.
• Growth and Sulfur Metabolism Pathways of Purple Sulfur Bacteria Using Metal Sulfide Nanoparticles as the Sole Sulfur Source (2019), Hugo Alarcon, Jie (Gail) Xu.
• New Light Shed on Important Earth-Relevant Redox Reactions Observed at the Nanoscale (2017), Volume Leesburg, VA, Jie (Gail) Xu.
• Efficacy of Acetate-Amended Biostimulation for Uranium Sequestration: Combined Analysis of Geochemical Data and Bacterial Community Structure (2017), Volume San Francisco, CA, Jie (Gail) Xu.
• Nanostructures Formed via Sulfidation of Mixed Zn-Cu Aqueous Systems (2017), Volume San Francisco, Jie (Gail) Xu.

• Can Phototrophy-Driven Sulfur Cycling Make Crystallization Water of Gypsum Bioavailable? – Defining a New Habitability Index for Gypsum-Dominated Extreme Environments
• Formation Mechanisms, Crystal Structure, and Interfacial Reactivity of (Mixed) Metal Sulfide Nanoparticles Produced via Biological versus Abiotic Systems