Current instructor

Xiangru Xu

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.07/5 from 14 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

ME 340
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Lowkey Professor Xu was really great. He was extremely competent and honestly, for the most parts, he has a big belief on if you did the work you will do good because every single problem on the test was very similar in concept to a practice problem, discussion problem, or lecture problem. He answered all 57 of my piazza questions in a fast time.
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ME 340
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
Straightforward, have to have good notesheet. Must use lectures and discussion for notesheet. Everybody saying exams were bogus probably did not go to discussion. Lowkey top 3 ME prof
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ME 340
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
Good professor, lectures are informative with lots of examples. However his tests are ridiculous. He loves breaking out brand new concepts on the exams that did not appear in lecture. He is willing to give lots of partial credit on exams however. Just beware studying the lectures is not sufficient. He WILL put some crazy stuff on exams.
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ME 340
Quality 1/5Difficulty 5/5
He is an interesting professor to talk to. He likes to argue to make points during the office hour but not to make meanful conversations. I don't find it helpful.
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ME 340
Quality 5/5Difficulty 2/5
Professor Xu's course was well structured. He gave lots of examples in lectures and discussions, but was rushed sometimes.
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ME 340
Quality 3/5Difficulty 3/5
Overall, I thought the course was decently taught w/ clear expectations - definitely could be tough, but exams (for the most part) followed in-lecture/in-discussion examples & textbook. Lecture could be a bit quick at times, attending discussion is definitely a must for this class.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Xiangru Xu

ECE 399

Independent Study

1–3 credits

Independent Study course for ECE featuring directed study projects arranged with the instructor.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2022: 3.91 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.82 GPA, 94.1% A/AB (n=17 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.92 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades).

Eric HoffmanDan Negrut+54 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sample
ECE 699

Advanced Independent Study

1–6 credits

Advanced Independent Study for ECE involving directed study projects arranged with the instructor.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades); Spring 2023: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=7 letter grades).

Eric HoffmanIrena Knezevic+66 more

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Fall 2023 · limited sample
ECE 790

Master's Research

1–9 credits

Independent work on master's research overseen by a qualified instructor. Students demonstrate the ability to formulate, analyze, and independently solve advanced engineering problems and communicate research results orally and in writing.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Irena KnezevicDan Negrut+68 more

No recorded grade history

EMA/ME 458

Feedback Control of Autonomous Systems

3 credits

Covers feedback control theory, numerical optimal control, and quadcopter dynamics with hands-on labs on a nano quadcopter platform.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2026: 3.43 GPA, 85.7% A/AB (n=7 letter grades).

Xiangru Xu

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sample
ME 491

Mechanical Engineering Projects I

1–3 credits

Mechanical Engineering Projects I involves individual lab projects under staff supervision.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=1 letter grades).

Gregory NellisDan Negrut+40 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2024–Spring 2026 · limited sample

Recorded teaching history

Distinct courses recorded per term

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Spring 2027ECE 399Independent Study
Spring 2027ECE 699Advanced Independent Study
Spring 2027ECE 790Master's Research
Spring 2027ECE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Spring 2027ECE 990Dissertator's Research
Spring 2027EMA/ME 458Feedback Control of Autonomous Systems
Spring 2027ME 299Independent Study
Spring 2027ME 489Honors in Research II
Spring 2027ME 491Mechanical Engineering Projects I
Spring 2027ME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Spring 2027ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ECE 399Independent Study
Fall 2026ECE 699Advanced Independent Study
Fall 2026ECE 790Master's Research
Fall 2026ECE 890Pre-dissertator's Research
Fall 2026ECE 990Dissertator's Research
Fall 2026ME 340Dynamic Systems
Fall 2026ME 491Mechanical Engineering Projects I
Fall 2026ME 699Advanced Independent Study
Fall 2026ME 790Master's Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 890Phd Research and Thesis
Fall 2026ME 990Dissertator Research and Thesis

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance 
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