People

Dr. Dinesh Pathak

President

Dr. Dinesh Pathak is a Professor at the Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University. He graduated in geology from Tribhuvan University and continued his research in exploration geophysics and hydrogeology (MS and Ph.D.) from Osaka City University. He is carrying out research in the field of hydrogeological assessment in the mountainous regions and plain areas; Natural hazards, especially landslides and floods; geomorphic evaluation for hydrogeological and landslide hazard assessment; Climate change projection leading to its impact in various sector, primarily in landslide and groundwater. Further, he has also provided professional services to the government, non-government and private sectors to execute various projects in these fields as a team leader and team member. Pathak has more than 3 dozens of publications in peer-reviewed national and international scientific journals. He has supervised dozens of students in master thesis and also some Ph.D. students are conducting research under his supervision.

Dr. Pathak has contributed to professional societies in various capacities, like Nepal Geological Society (President and General Secretary), Nepal GIS Society (Executive Member); Nepal Hydrogeological Association (Executive Member). He has also served as Editor (Journal of Nepal Geological Society) and Chief Editor (Bulletin of Nepal Hydrogeological Association).

Dr. Rocky Talchabhadel

Vice-President

Dr. Rocky Talchabhadel holds the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Jackson State University. Prior to this, he spent nearly three years as a Research Scientist in El Paso, TX at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, which is affiliated with Texas A&M University. He is the Finalist of AIM for Climate Grand Challenge: Leveraging the Power of AI and Machine-Learning, AIM for Climate Summit, Washington D.C., May 08 – 10, 2023. He is a hydrologist/water resources engineer, and he obtained his Ph.D. in Civil and Earth Resources Engineering in 2017 from Kyoto University, Japan. He has published over two dozen research papers and co-authored over forty publications in top-tier international/national journals. His expertise includes Hydrology, Atmosphere, Climate Change, Hydraulics, Remote Sensing, Water Resources Engineering, and Sediment Transport.

Dr. Bhesh Raj Thapa

General Secretary

Er. Dr. Bhesh Raj Thapa is an Associate professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Universal Engineering and Science College, affiliated with Pokhara University and working in the capacity of Principal. Dr. Thapa is a water resources engineer and did his Ph.D. in Integrated River Basin Management from the University of Yamanashi, Japan under the MEXT scholarship awarded by the government of Japan. He has been awarded Young Scientist Award 2077 by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in recognition of extensive research and scientific contribution in the area of water resources research and he is also affiliated with NAST as an associate fellow. He has also been honored with Nepal Vidyabhusan Padak ‘KA”; awarded by the Government of Nepal in recognition of outstanding academic performance in Ph.D. in Engineering.

He has expertise in the design and implementation of multipurpose water resources projects, hydropower, irrigation, agricultural water management, hydrological and hydrogeological modeling, groundwater management, and governance. He has worked as a water resource expert at several governmental (WECS, DWIDM, DOI, and DSCWM) and non-governmental agencies (World Bank, IWMI). Dr. Thapa has several years of teaching experience at the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, and Himalaya College of Engineering. He has published dozens of research papers in top-tier international journals and voluntarily affiliated with several renowned research-based institutions in Nepal.

Dr. Alka Sapkota

Treasurer

Dr. Alka Sapkota received her PhD in Environmental Engineering from UNEP–Tongji Institute of Environment
for Sustainable Development, Shanghai China. She has been working in the environmental and sustainable
development field notably climate change adaptation, solid waste management, waste to energy, water resource
management, renewable energy and development of EIA and SEA. She has participated in different national and
international seminars and presented her research work.

Mrs. Meera Prajapati

Member

Mrs. Prajapati is working as coordinator of the Department of Environmental Science at Khwopa College, Bhaktapur. She completed her M.Sc (Environmental Science) with specialization in Water Quality Management from IHE-Delft, Netherlands, and Water Resources Management from Khwopa College (Tribhuvan University). She has been working in Environmental Science for more than a decade and has expertise in water quality management and water resources management. She has supervised several MSc thesis and has published research papers in top-tier international and national journals. Mrs. Prajapati is currently working as treasurer in S4W-Nepal, and she has also been associated with several research organizations.

Dr. Saroj karki

Member

Currently working as a Water-Resources Engineer at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, Province-1, Nepal, Karki carries over eight years of experience in the management of water-induced hazards in Nepal. He has accomplished several projects on river training and landslide protection. As a River professional, his interest lies in finding the practical solutions to the underlying water-related issues of Nepal which range from the management of water-induced disasters, sediment, and the surface and groundwater problems of the country. His area of expertise includes Fluvial hydraulics, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, River morphology, etc.

Er. Rajaram Prajapati

Member

Mr. Prajapati is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. He completed his M.Sc. in Water Resources Engineering from the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus in Kathmandu, Nepal. Mr. Prajapati is a co-founder of S4W-Nepal and he also worked as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of S4W-Nepal for five years and he has two years of teaching experience in hydropower and irrigation engineering as an assistant lecturer at Khwopa Engineering College. Rajaram’s research interests focus on developing new ideas to fill the hydro-meteorological data gaps in data-scarce regions through remote sensing and citizen science approaches. At present, Rajaram is looking over a citizen-science-based project in the Kathmandu Valley as a Country Director. Besides, Mr. Prajapati is representing Nepal in CitizenScience.Asia as a country ambassador. Rajaram has always had a passion for research in these areas and is excited to supervise the works of the S4W team!

Dr. Sanjiv Neupane

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Neupane received his Ph. D. in Water Engineering and Management (2023) from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand. He completed his Master’s degree in Water Engineering and Management from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in 2019. He was awarded the prestigious “His Majesty King’s Scholarship” to pursue his master’s degree. He has been involved in research project: “Mapping groundwater resilience to climate change and human development in Asian cities” and “Safeguarding Regional Food Security under Climate Change impacts via mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions-centered adaptation strategies (NAFOS)” both funded by the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) during his Ph. D. He worked as a Civil Engineer in Ministry of Urban Development in Nepal before joining AIT. His core area of interest includes hydrological modeling, groundwater modeling, climate change, land use analysis and GIS based studies. Dr. Neupane has four papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and has delivered more than six conference papers on topics ranging from groundwater modelling, hydrological modeling to climate change and human development impacts and adaptation in the water sector. He is passionate about conducting research for sustainable watershed management in Nepal and is honored to work with S4W-Nepal to connect the ideas of young scientists and citizen scientists for the advancement of science.

Mr. Sudeep Duwal

Research Associate

Sudeep is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Environmental Health in Disaster in Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He completed his B.Sc. Environmental Science graduate from Khwopa College. Previously, he was involved in the water, health, and sanitation (WASH) sector as a volunteer and in the vermicomposting as an entrepreneur. At Present, he is working as a ‘Research Associate’ in Smartphones For Water Nepal (S4W-Nepal). Working in S4W-Nepal, he understood both challenges and opportunities in water resource management in the Kathmandu Valley. Now, he is curious to know how the data generated by citizen scientists can help in sustainable water management in the data scarce countries like Nepal. Moreover, he is an enthusiastic and self motivated to work in the field of water resource management and disaster.

Ms. Goma Khadka

Research Associate

Goma completed her M.Sc. in Geology with a specialization in Hydrogeology from the Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Her passion for understanding geological processes and their impact on water systems has driven her involvement in diverse projects, ranging from hydrogeological assessments to water resource management initiatives in different parts of  Nepal. She is also currently an Executive Committee Member of the Nepal Geological Society. S4W Nepal’s commitment to work for sustainable water resource management in Nepal resonates with her own dedication to making a positive impact through research and innovation in water resources. As a Research Associate with S4W-Nepal, she is grateful to work and collaborate with a team of like-minded people like her and is committed to leveraging her skills and experience to further the organization’s goals. 

Mr. Hanik Lakhe

Research Associate

Hanik is a graduate of BSc. Environmental Science from Khwopa College, Bhaktapur. His journey commenced with his active involvement as a Citizen Scientist in Smartphones For Water Nepal (S4W-Nepal), and now he is working as a Research Associate. His research interests include but are not limited to sustainable water resource management, remote sensing in hydrology, extreme event analysis, and hydrological modeling. His passion lies in conducting research that integrates the citizen science approach, remote sensing, and modeling techniques to enhance the comprehension of water resources and address critical water-related issues. Hanik firmly believes that his association with the organization will foster professionalism and help him nurture other essential qualities required to achieve his future career aspirations. He feels immensely fortunate to collaborate with a team of highly motivated and ambitious young researchers, collectively dedicated to making a positive impact in the realm of water resource management.

Mr. Gaurav Bahadur Pandey

Logistics assistant

Gaurav recently graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering from Basu Secondary School, Bhaktapur. His ambition is to advance into a managerial role in the future, and he believes that starting as a Logistics Assistant is a promising stepping stone. His interest lies in logistics, and he possesses excellent managerial skills to support his aspirations. Moreover, Gaurav’s effective communication skills are an added advantage for the position. He is enthusiastic about participating in research activities and is eager to further develop his research skills. Notably, Gaurav is delighted and eager to be part of a community that contributes to environmental welfare, particularly concerning water resources. As a responsible citizen, he deeply acknowledges his significant role in environmental protection.

Mr. Shreeben Shakya

Research Assistant

Shreeben is a third-year student of the BSc. Environmental Science at Khwopa College, Bhaktapur, and is currently associated with S4W-Nepal as a ‘Research Assistant’. Water is an essential component of life, so he believes that it is a joyous move to work for the sustainability of water resources. He also enjoys practical workshops and believes in teamwork. He feels great being a part of S4W-Nepal as it meets his area of interest and assumes co-ordinating with this enthusiastic team has broadened his skills.

Ms. Rohinee Bishwas Mandal

Research Intern

Rohinee is a student of B.Sc. Environmental Science at Khwopa College, Bhaktapur. She is currently working at Smartphones For Water Nepal (S4W-Nepal) as a ‘Research Assistant Intern’. She loves art and enjoys working for environmental benefits. She is ardent in contributing to the sustainable management of water resources. She is fascinated by the citizen science approach of S4W-Nepal for hydro-meteorological data generation and has developed an interest in research works especially in the field of sustainable water resource management. She considers S4W-Nepal to be a platform that has been inspiring common people to participate actively in data collection and filling in the hydro-meteorological gaps in Nepal. Her participation in the organization is assisting her in advancing her professionalism and achieving her professional goals.