Prof. Xiao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research focuses on two main areas. The first is sustainability science, with a particular emphasis on the spatial spillover effects of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) driven by transboundary interactions such as trade, river systems, atmospheric flows, and ocean currents. Her work integrates large-scale geospatial data with quantitative modelling approaches to support evidence-based decision-making for sustainable development. The second area focuses on carbon emissions accounting and mitigation strategies in urban and regional systems, where she develops data-driven approaches to quantify carbon footprints across sectors and scales.

All her first-author papers are published in JCR Q1 journals (ranking on average within the top 5% of their respective fields), including in Nature Communications (Highly cited paper) and The Innovation. The relevant research outcomes were included in one chapter of “Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals 2023” as important reference material for the United Nations Summit of the Future. Prof. Xiao also serves as the Associate Editor of Environment, Development, and Sustainability (JCR Q1).