Xing Xu is a professor at the
Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences. A leading figure in dinosaur taxonomy and systematics, he has named more than 40 new dinosaur species, among them the four-winged Microraptor and the buck-toothed Incisivosaurus. His work on the origin and early evolution of feathers and bird flight are among the most significant contributions in these fields, and he has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers.
Professor Xu frequently leads expeditions, most recently to the Gobi deserts of western China, and has conducted fieldwork in the major dinosaur localities of China.