Yang Xinxin was born in August 1945 in Xi'an. She graduated from Shaanxi Polytechnical University in 1968 and from then on pursued a career of teaching and research. She now is a professor in the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Harbin Engineering University. In recent years, she has edited four textbooks, checked and approved three textbooks and compiled several others. She was awarded first or second prize in teaching achievement by the province three times, and second prize for teaching software by the province once. She has also published more than 10 academic papers.

Since 2001, she has been the chief lecturer for the Computer Drawing course in the Machine Design and Automation programme at the OUC.