• Urban and community design
• Cultural, social and political representations of architecture
• Spatial identity
• Non-Western architectural philosophies and history
• Sustainable design
• Interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning

Dr. Xiao's research seeks to understand the architectural organizations and orders of the modern city in response to the broader cultural, social, political and psychological transformation. His current focus is on the problem of spatial identity as manifested in architectural and urban settings, with a particular emphasis on the East Asian and Middle Eastern context. Other main research interests include: non-Western architecture history, sustainable design strategies from traditional and vernacular architecture, globalization in architectural practice, human behaviors in the built environment, and interdisciplinary and cross-cultural architectural education.

• X. Hu, “Boundaries and Openings: Spatial Strategies in the Chinese Dwelling.” Journal of Housing and the Built Environment. Vol.23, No.4, 2008.
• Martin Despang and X. Hu, “Heated Modified Architecture.” Journal of Architecture & Details, Vol. 28, No.5, 2008. 
• X. Hu, “Urbanization & the Campus”, Proceeding of the 2007 ACSA Central Conference, 2007.
• M. Bryant, X. Hu, A. Krupenikava, F. Aghammadova, and S. Dutta, “Patterns in Leadership Preparation: Four Case Studies of Educational Leadership Preparation,” Proceedings of 2006 Annual Meeting of University Council of Educational Administration, 2006.
• X. Hu, “The Second Face of Chinese Metropolitan Cities: The Spatial Structure and Social Behavior of the Migrants.” Proceedings of 8th Asian Planning Schools Association Conference, 2005.

• "Whitter High School Renovation" Lincoln, Neb., 2005 - 2008
• "Nebraska Lied Main Street Program" 2001 – 2004
• “Resident’s Perception of Housing and the Quality of Life in Crete & Schuyler” University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2002
• “Historical Building Investigation and Recording in Three Gorges Dam Area” National Historical Preservation Bureau of China, 1994

• "Palouse Art Park" Palouse, Washington, Jan. 2008 – March 2008

• "Seattle Central Library Case Study" Seattle, Washington, Aug. 2008 – Nov. 2008