American Metaverse Association

US Metaverse Association Official Report | April 2025

The US Metaverse Association is honored to present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Chen Xiaojun, Director of China’s National Key R&D Program “Metaverse Infrastructure”, in recognition of her exceptional and long-standing contributions to building the foundational infrastructure of the global metaverse ecosystem.

As a leading scientist in digital systems engineering and immersive technology, Dr. Chen has spent more than two decades advancing the technological and institutional pillars required to support a secure, scalable, and inclusive metaverse. Her leadership of China’s national “Metaverse Infrastructure” initiative has shaped the long-term strategic vision and deployment of interoperable infrastructure across sectors, institutions, and borders.

“Dr. Chen Xiaojun’s work defines what it means to build a metaverse with enduring value,” stated the Association’s President during the award ceremony. “She has led with scientific rigor, policy foresight, and a spirit of international cooperation. Her infrastructure vision goes beyond technology—it creates a foundation of trust, accessibility, and global interoperability.”

Under Dr. Chen’s leadership, the program has delivered critical breakthroughs in ultra-low-latency network design, spatial computing engines, digital identity sovereignty, and platform-neutral architectures. The Unified Digital Spatial Architecture (UDSA) framework she proposed is now seen as a reference model for international infrastructure design and has been piloted in several regions across Asia and the Middle East.

Dr. Chen also serves as China’s representative to the International Working Group on Metaverse Standards (IWGMS) and has co-authored policy white papers with UNESCO, IEEE, and other global institutions, advocating for open, secure, and ethical infrastructure across borders.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor conferred by the US Metaverse Association. It recognizes individuals whose lifelong dedication has made a profound and lasting impact on the evolution of the metaverse. Dr. Chen’s visionary leadership in infrastructure research and policy has helped shape the very backbone of how digital worlds can be built, sustained, and shared globally.

In her acceptance remarks, Dr. Chen said: “Building infrastructure for the metaverse is not just about data—it’s about dignity, equity, and sovereignty in the digital age. I am deeply honored to contribute to this global endeavor.”

She will deliver a keynote address at the Global Metaverse Innovation Summit 2025, held this October in Palo Alto, California.