His current research focuses on developing system-wide photonic integrated circuits for optical communication, sensing, and optical computing applications, exploiting a number of photonic integration platforms, including InP, silicon, as well as Si-InP, Si-SiN, and photonic-electronic hybrid integration schemes. He currently serves as a committee member for OFC, CLEO-PR, ECIO, and Photonics West, and he is a guest editor for APL Photonics. He is an author of in excess of 110 refereed journal and conference papers.

Qixiang is elected fellow of Fitzwilliam College.