Hi I’m Ali - I’m a research fellow in the Blesh Lab at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). My current research focuses on investigating crop productivity and soil nutrient cycling in perennial agricultural systems. Specifically, I lead a field experiment looking at the effects of intercropping perennial legumes with a novel perennial wheat crop in order to assess the effects of legumes on perennial wheat production and soil health. My previous research focused on identifying sustainable agricultural practices, with a focus on smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. In my PhD work I focused on maize-legume cropping systems in Tanzania at different scales, from individual plots to community-level interventions. This research employed an interdisciplinary approach to evaluating legume production, including integrating field trials, on-farm assessments, and extension systems.