Dr. Virginia Hernandez-Santana is a Research Scientist at the Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC) in Spain, where she investigates on understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant water relations and growth under changing environmental conditions, particularly drought, in forest and crop species. Her work integrates mechanistic modelling, physiological measurements, and plant-based sensing technologies to understand how water stress impacts on transpiration, stomatal conductance, and fruit growth, contributing to the development of more sustainable irrigation strategies. She received her Ph.D. in environmental Sciences from the University of Salamanca (Spain) and has since developed a robust international research career, including pre- and postdoctoral positions in the United States and Europe. She has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and has led or co-led multiple national and international research projects on plant water use and drought responses. Dr. Hernandez-Santana is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar (2025–26) at the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, hosted by Professor Tom Buckley. During her stay, she collaborates with Prof. Buckley’s lab to advance mechanistic models of plant water use and growth, integrating innovative in-situ plant sensors. This collaboration supports the creation of next-generation decision-support tools aimed at improving irrigation efficiency and resilience in fruit tree crops.