Xinyuan (Emily) Zhu, PhD
About Xinyuan (Emily) Zhu, PhD
Xinyuan (Emily) Zhu, PhD, is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Business School and a Senior Product Manager at Amazon, specializing in AWS QuickSight. She has a diverse educational background in engineering, business, and environmental technology, and has held various roles in prominent organizations including The World Bank and the FDA.
Current Role at Harvard Business School
Xinyuan (Emily) Zhu serves as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Business School since 2019. In this role, she engages with students and contributes to the academic environment through her expertise in various fields. Her position allows her to leverage her extensive background in engineering and technology to enrich the learning experience.
Professional Experience at Amazon
Currently, Xinyuan Zhu works as a Senior Product Manager - Tech for AWS QuickSight at Amazon, a position she has held since 2021. In this capacity, she guides over 60 software development engineers across three teams, focusing on the research, development, and execution of high-impact features. Previously, she served as a Finance Manager for Prime Air and as a Senior Product Manager - Tech for Prime Air, contributing to key projects in the aviation sector.
Educational Background
Xinyuan Zhu has a diverse educational background. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland, completing her studies from 2009 to 2014. She also holds multiple master's degrees, including an MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and a Master of Engineering in Industrial & System Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Previous Work Experience
Xinyuan Zhu has held various positions prior to her current roles. She worked as a Consultant at The World Bank in 2013 for eight months and as a Research Analyst at the Maryland State Highway Administration from 2009 to 2010. Additionally, she served as a Research Fellow at the FDA from 2011 to 2012 and as a Program Manager at the Federal Aviation Administration from 2014 to 2015.
Key Contributions to AWS QuickSight
In her role at Amazon, Xinyuan Zhu has played a significant part in the development of AWS QuickSight. She led the development of the serverless BI acceleration data engine SPICE, which enhances the differentiation strategy of AWS QuickSight. Additionally, she has served as the main QuickSight evangelist, delivering presentations at AWS RE:Invent and other industry conferences to engage with large AWS customers.