Dr. Qiaoyun Xie (Qiaoyun is pronounced like Ciao-young, Hear name), or Dr. X, is a geospatial scientist and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering, The University of Western Australia. Dr. Xie and her lab ‘take the pulse of nature’ by using geographical information systems and remote sensing technologies to monitor vegetation dynamics and its interactions with climate. Please visit the lab website for more information.

Using satellite data, or what she describes as her ‘eyes in the sky’, along with field measurements, she tracks ecosystem dynamics, especially plant growth. Her research on ecosystem monitoring focuses on vegetation parameter retrieval; vegetation dynamics; vegetation phenology and shifting seasonality with climate variability; land surface responses and their interactions with climate; and land use activities and major disturbance events.

Currently, her research involves using remote sensing and field measurements to understand the phenology patterns and carbon dynamics of vegetation across Australian landscapes, including vegetation resilience and resistance to droughts. Her research reported ground-breaking evidence of climate change impacts on Australian grassland composition, which is key to informing fire, agriculture, and pollen management to improve human life quality and mitigate health threats.

Dr. Xie has also developed Australia’s nationwide vegetation phenology products at 500m resolution using satellite data to support researchers and management activities. This can take the form of data that informs ecosystem resilience to climate change, bushfire fuel accumulation, crop yields, airborne allergens, native vegetation conditions, and agricultural management.

Dr. Xie’s significant contributions to this research field are evidenced through her publication record in a variety of prestigious journals and textbooks, and invitations to convene and present at international conferences. She has also recorded one patent and received several merit-based awards totaling over $2M in research funding. In addition, Dr. Xie is a reviewer for over 20 academic journals, including top journals in her field such as Science, Nature Ecology and Evolution, Scientific Data, Global Change Biology, and Remote Sensing of Environment.

Incredibly passionate about her work, Dr. Xie’s ultimate aim is to prepare for biogeography in future climates. Her research provides vital information about changes in plant growth and distribution induced by climate and environmental changes. This information will help humanity adapt in how we rely on plants for critical things like food, fuel, and clean air.