Qiansu brings deep expertise in plant ecophysiology and perennial grain systems. She completed her Ph.D. in Applied Plant Sciences at the University of Minnesota, where she investigated the physiological mechanisms of inter-annual yield decline in intermediate wheatgrass (Kernza), including photosynthesis rates, water-use efficiency, nitrogen allocation, and stay-green traits. She also conducted meta-analyses linking photosynthetic traits to wheat yield gains and developed high-resolution methods to quantify nitrogen fixation. Her strengths in gas-exchange measurements, plant phenotyping, source–sink dynamics, and R-based modeling directly support the lab’s Kernza fertility and nutrient-management research.