Home > Meet our faculty > Sangam Shrestha

Prof. Sangam Shrestha

Position
Dean, Director
Unit
School of Engineering and Technology / Global Water Sanitation Center
Contact Info
(662) 524 6055, (662) 524 6022 , (662) 524 6054
[email protected]
Download full CV
Media Links
Personal website
PROFILE
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
RESEARCH INTERESTS
TEACHING
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
ONGOING AND COMPLETED PROJECTS
AWARDS AND HONORS
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
RESEARCH KEYWORDS

Dr. Sangam Shrestha is Professor and Chair of Water Engineering and Management Program at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. He is also a Visiting Faculty of the University of Yamanashi, Japan, National University of Laos, and a Research Fellow of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan. His research interests are within the field of hydrology and water resources including, climate change impact assessment and adaptation in the water, integrated water resources management, and groundwater assessment and management.

  1. Diploma, Connection and Flows: Water, Energy and Digital Information in the Global South, Brown University, USA (July, 2013)
  2. Ph.D. in Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), University of Yamanashi, Japan (2007)
  3. M.Sc. in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand (2004)
  4. M.Sc. in Agriculture (1 year, Major: Soil Science), Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal (2002)

Research and development areas include, but not limited to climate change and adaptation in water, integrated water resources management and groundwater development and management.

  1. CE74.9002: Climate Change and Water Resources
  2. CE74.13: Water Resources Systems
  3. CE74.52: Groundwater Development and Management
  4. CE74.9001: Research Design and Experimental Methods
  5. CE74.21 Irrigation and Drainage Engineering,
  6. UG104: Praxis-I
  7. UG108: Praxis-II
  1. Shrestha, S., Datta, A. (2015). Field measurements for evaluating the RZWQM and PSTFADE models for the Tropical Zone of Thailand. Environmental Management. 147:286-296. Publisher: Elsevier. Impact factor: 3.602 (2012). SCOPUS citation: (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.09.017)
  1. Deb, P., Shrestha, S., Babel, M.S. (2014). Forecasting climate change impacts and evaluation of adaptation options for maize cropping in the hilly terrain of Himalayas: Sikkim, India. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, Publisher: Springer, Impact Factor: 1.759 (2012). (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-014-1262-4)
  1. Htut, A.Y., Shrestha, S., Nitivattanon, V., Kawasaki, A. (2014). Forecasting Climate Change Scenarios in the Bago River Basin, Myanmar. J Earth Sci Clim Change, 5: 228. (https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7617.1000228)
  1. Shrestha, S., Muanthong, S. (2014). Assessment of surface water quality of Songkhram River (Thailand) using environmetric techniques. International Journal of River Basin Management, 12 (3):1-16. Publisher: Taylor and Francis. Impact Factor: -. SCOPUS citation: –
  1. Shrestha, S. Deb, P., Trang Bui Thi Thu, (2014). Adaptation strategies for rice cultivation in central Vietnam. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 3:453–465 Publisher: Springer, Impact factor:-1.025 (2012)
  1. Shrestha, S. Khatiwada, M. Babel, M.S. Parajuli, K. (2014). Assessment of the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources and Hydropower Production in Kulekhani Watershed of Nepal. Environmental Process, 1 (3):231-250. Publisher: Springer, Impact factor:-
  1. Shrestha, S. Trang Bui Thi Thu, Deb, P. (2014). Assessment of the climate change impacts and evaluation of adaptation measures for paddy productivity in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. Paddy and Water Environment. Publisher: Springer, Impact factor:-1.025 (2012)
  1. Shrestha, S and Shankar Shrestha (2014). Evaluation of PESTFADE model using field-measured data in Pathumthani, Thailand. Journal of Applied Water Engineering and Research. 2(1): 57-69. Publisher: Taylor and Francis, Impact factor-. SCOPUS citation: – 
  1. Shrestha, S. and Manandhar, B. (2014). Evaluation of Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) using field measured data from Tropical Zone, Thailand. Water, Air & Soil Pollution. 225: 1958 Publisher: Springer, Impact factor:-1.748 (2012)
  1. Shrestha, S., Thin, N.M.M, and Deb, P. (2014). Assessment of climate change impacts on irrigation water requirement and rice yield in Ngamoeyeik Irrigation Project area of Myanmar. Journal of Water and ClimateChange, 5(3): 427-442. Publisher: International Water Association (IWA), Impact factor: 2.16 (2011). SCOPUS citation: –
  1. Khadka, D., Babel, M.S., Shrestha, S., and Tripathi, N. (2014). Climate Change Impact on Glacier and Snowmelt and Runoff in Tamakoshi Basin in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) Region. Journal of Hydrology, 511: 49-60. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 2.433 (2009). SCOPUS citation:-
  1. Santikayasa, I.P., Babel, M.S., Shrestha, S., Jourdain, D. Clemente, R.S. (2014). Evaluation of water use sustainability under future climate and irrigation management scenarios in Citarum River Basin, Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 21 (2): 181-194. Publisher: Taylor and Francis, Impact Factor: 1.213 (2012). SCOPUS citation: –
  1. Plangoen, P, Babel, Mukand S., Clemente, R. S, Shrestha, S, Tripathi, N. K. (2013). Simulating the Impact of Future Land Use and Climate Change on Soil Erosion and Deposition in the Mae Nam Nan Sub-Catchment, Thailand. Sustainability, 5(7): 3244-3274. Publisher: MDPI. Impact factor:-. SCOPUS citation: 1
  1. Shrestha, S., Pandey, V.P., Chanamai, C., Ghosh, D.K. (2013). Green, blue and grey water footprint of primary crop production in Nepal. Water Resources Management, 27 (15):5223-5243. Publisher: Springer, Impact factor: 2.259 (2012). SCOPUS citation: 3
  1. Shrestha, S., Pandey, V.P., Yoneyama, Y., Shrestha, S. and Kazama, F. (2013). An evaluation of rainwater quality in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Sustainable Environment Research, 23(5):341-350.  Publisher: Chinese Institute of Environmental Engineering (CIEnvE), Impact factor: 0.675 (2012). SCOPUS citation: 1 
  1. Shrestha, S., Gyawali, B and Bhattarai, U. (2013). Impacts of Climate Change on Irrigation Water Requirements for Rice-Wheat Cultivation in Bagmati River Basin, Nepal. Journal of Water and Climate Change. 4 (4): 422–439. Publisher: International Water Association (IWA), Impact factor: 2.16 (2011). SCOPUS citation: 1
  1. Pandey, V.P., Shrestha, S., Kazama, F. (2013). A GIS-based ARC model to delineate potential areas for groundwater development. Applied Water Science, 3 (2):453–465. Publisher: Springer. Impact factor: -. SCOPUS citation:-
  1. Pandey, V.P., Shrestha, S., and Kazama, F. (2012).  Groundwater in Kathmandu Valley: development dynamics, consequences and prospects for sustainable management, European Water, 37:3-14. Publisher: European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Impact factor: – . SCOPUS citation:-
  1. Pandey, V.P., Shrestha, S., Chapagain, S.K. and Kazama, F. (2011).  A framework for measuring groundwater sustainability, Environmental Science and Policy, 14 (4), pp. 396-407. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 2.322 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 9
  1. Pandey, V.P., Babel, M.S., Shrestha, S. and Kazama, F. (2011). A framework to assess adaptive capacity of water resources system in Nepalese river basins, Ecological Indicators, 11 (2), pp.480-488. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 3.102 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 7
  1. Chapagain, S.K., Pandey, V.P., Shrestha, S., Nakamura, T., and Kazama, F. (2010). Assessment of Deep Ground water Quality in Kathmandu Valley Using Multivariate Techniques. Water Air & Soil Pollution, 210 (1-4). pp. 277-288. Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Impact factor: 1.676 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 2
  1. Pandey, V.P., Babel, M.S., Shrestha, S. and Kazama, F. (2010). Vulnerability of freshwater resources in large and medium Nepalese river basins to environmental change, Water Science and Technology, 61 (6), pp. 1525-1534. Publisher: IWA Publishing, Impact factor: 1.094 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 9
  1. Wang, G. J. Yu, Shrestha, S., Ishidaira, H. and. Takeuchi, K. (2009). Application of a distributed erosion model for the assessment of spatial erosion patterns in the Lushi catchment, China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 61(4). pp. 787-797. Publisher: Springer, Impact factor: -.  SCOPUS citation: 6
  1. Chapagain, S.K., Shrestha, S., Du Laing, G.,Verloo, M.G., and Kazama, F. (2009). Spatial distribution of arsenic in the intertidal sediments of River Scheldt, Belgium, Environment International, 35(3):461-465. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 4.786 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 10
  1. Chapagain, S.K., Shrestha, S., Nakamura, T., Pandey, V.P., and Kazama, F. (2009). Arsenic occurrence in groundwater of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Desalination and Water Treatment, 4:248-254. Publisher: Balaban Publishers, Impact factor: – (2009).SCOPUS citation: 12
  1. Shrestha, S., Kazama F., Newham, L.T.H., Babel, M.S., Clemente, R.S., Ishidaira H., Nishida, K.  and Sakamoto, Y. (2008). Catchment scale modelling of point and non-point source pollution loads using pollutant export coefficients determined from long-term in-stream monitoring data, Journal of Hydro-environment Research, Elsevier Publication, 2 (3):134-147. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor:-. SCOPUS citation: 18 
  1. Shrestha, S., Kazama, F. and Nakamura, T. (2008). Multivariate statistical techniques to evaluate spatial and temporal variations in water quality of the Mekong River. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 10 (1):43-56. Publisher: IWA Publishing, Impact factor: 0.979 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 12 
  1. Shrestha, S., Kazama, F. and Newham, L. (2008). A framework for estimating pollutant export coefficients from long-term in-stream water quality monitoring data. Environmental Modelling and Software, 23 (2):182-194. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 3.085 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 41 
  1. Shrestha, S., Bastola, S., Babel, M.S., Dulal, K.N., Magome, J., Hapuarchchi, H.A.P, Ishidaira, H., Kazama, F. and Takeuchi, K. (2007). The assessment of spatial and temporal transferability of a physically based distributed hydrological model parameters in different physiographic regions of Nepal. Journal of Hydrology, 347 (1-2):153-172. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 2.433 (2009). SCOPUS citation: 12
  1. Shrestha, S., Dulal, K.N., Bastola, S. Kazama, F., Ishidaira, H. and Takeuchi, K. (2007). Temporal transferability of physically based distributed hydrological model parameters in Bagmati River Basin, Nepal. Journal of Hydrological Sciences and Technology, 22 (1-4):173-184. Publisher: American Institute of Hydrology, Impact factor: -. SCOPUS citation: – 
  1. Shrestha, S., Kazama, F. (2007). Assessment of surface water quality using multivariate statistical techniques: a case study of the Fuji River basin, Japan. Environmental Modelling and Software, 22 (4):464-475. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 3.114 (2011). SCOPUS citation: 334
  1. Nakamura, T., Shrestha, S., Satake, H. and Kazama, F. (2007). Effects of groundwater recharge on nitrate loadings. Journal of Water and Environmental Technology, 5 (2):87-93. Publisher: Japan Society of Water Environment, Impact factor: -. SCOPUS citation: –
  1. Shrestha, S., Babel, M.S. Das Gupta, A and Kazama, F. (2006). Evaluation of Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source model for a Watershed in the Siwalik Hills of Nepal.  Environmental Modelling and Software, Elsevier Publication, 21(7):961-975. Publisher: Elsevier, Impact factor: 3.114 (2011). SCOPUS citation: 34
  1. Capacity building for Moeyingyi wetland conservation in Myanmar in the context of  climate change
    1. Funding: Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Switzerland and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JapanPeriod: Jan 2014- May 2015, Total Budget: US$ 42,000, Role: PI
  2. Hydrology Measurement and Analysis
    1. Funding: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Period: October 2013- September 2014, Total Budget: US$ 56,800, Role: PI
  3. Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN)
    1. Funding: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Period: Oct 2013 – June 2015, Total Budget: US$ 130,000, Role: PI (with Prof. Mukand S. Babel, Dr. Rajendra Shrestha)
  4. Capacity Development on Adaptation and Disaster Management of the Water Section related to Climate Change
    1. Funding: Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Period: October 2012 – December 2015, Total Budget: Euro 66,560, Role: Member
  5. Capacity Development of Higher Education on IWRM at CUET
    1. Funding: UNESCO-IHE, the Netherlands.Period:  January 2011 – December 2016, Total Budget:           Euro 95,407, Role: Member
  6. Addressing non-economic losses and damages associated with climate change: Learning from the recent past extreme climatic events for future planning
    1. Funding: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)Period: July 2014 – June 2016, Total Budget: US$80,000, Role: Collaborator
  7. Enhancing the Groundwater Management Capacity in Asian Cities through the Development and Application of Groundwater Sustainability Index in the Context of Global Change.
    1. Funding: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)Period: June 2013 – May 2014, Total Budget: US$42,000, Role: PI
  8. Policy Brief Writeshop for Researchers: An Approach to Promote Greater Science-Policy Interfacing in South Asia.
    1. Funding: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)Period: June 2013 – May 2014 , Total Budget: US$36,000, Role: Collaborator
  9. Understanding and Quantifying the Water-Energy-Carbon Nexus for Low Carbon Development in Asian Cities.
    1. Funding: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)Period: June 2013 – May 2015, Total Budget: US$80,000, Role: Co-PI
  10. SEA-EU-NET 2 – EU-ASEAN S&T cooperation to jointly tackle societal challenges.
    1. Funding: The International Bureau of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BLR), GermanyPeriod: December 2012 – January 2016, Total Budget: Euro 221,000, Role: Co-PI
  11. Comparative research of groundwater management in the coastal areas in Southeast Asia.
    1. Funding: Asian Development Bank (ADB) and UNESCO-IHE.  Period: October 2012 – October 2014, Total Budget: US$600,000 Role: Facilitator
  12. Assessment of water availability and demand in Thailand in consideration of climate change.
    1. Funding: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)Period: September 2012 – August 2013, Total Budget: US$24,000, Role: PI
  13. Water interventions for improving smallholder farming and rural livelihoods in Asia and the Pacific.
    1. Funding: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)Period: July 2012- June 2013, Total Budget: USD 80,124, Role: Member
  14. Curriculum Development for an Undergraduate Program in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering in Kandahar University, Afghanistan.
    1. Funding: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)Period: September 2012 – February 2013, Total Budget: CAD$98,000, Role: PI
  15. Facilitating the Bi-Regional EU-ASEAN Science and Technology Dialogue SEA-EU-NET Partners in Science- European Union
    1. Funding: The International Bureau of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BLR), GermanyPeriod: 2011-2012 Total Budget: Euro 53,286, Role: CoPI
  16. Establishment of overseas collaboration centre at Asian Institute of Technology (OCC-UY/AIT):
    1. Funding: University of Yamanashi, JapanTotal Budget: First phase: US$22,632, Second Phase: US$31,832, Third Phase: US$40,733, Role: PI
  17. Estimation of water footprint and virtual water flow related to the consumption of agricultural products
    1. Funding: Center of Research for Environment Energy and Water (CREEW), Nepal     Total Budget: US$5000; Role: PI
  18. Climate change and adaptation to water scarcity: Strategies for integrated water and landuse management to enhance the resilience of rural communities in the Gangetic Basin
    1. Funding: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) – Strategic Fund, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), JapanTotal Budget: US$10,000; Role: PI
  19. Policy learning: linking development policy and climate change in Finland’s relations with developing countries
    1. Funding: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland; Partner: Finnish Environment Institute & Asian Institute of Technology;Total Budget: Euro 39,000; Role:  PI
  20. University of Yamanashi Young Researcher Grant (US$3,000) (2005-2006) to conduct research on “Assessment and redesign of water quality monitoring stations of Fuji river basin, Japan”. (Principle Investigator)
  1. Fuji Xerox Setsutaro Kobayashi Memorial Fund (US $ 12,000) (2005-2006) to conduct research on “Identification of major processes and modeling of pollutant loads in different river systems of Asia Pacific Region”. (Principle Investigator)
  1. Fuji Xerox Setsutaro Kobayashi Memorial Fund (US$ 10,000) (2006-2007) to conduct research on “Identification of major processes and modeling of pollutant loads in different river systems of Asia Pacific Region”. (Principle Investigator)
  1. Toyota Environmental Activities Grant (US$ 67,600) (2006-2009) to conduct research on “Integrated strategies and communities to protect and restore water quality of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal”. (Principle Investigator)
  1. Toyota Environmental Activities Grant (US$ 30,000) (2006-2009) to conduct research on “Developing a human network for the environmental management in Asian countries”. (Co-Investigator)
  1. International Foundation for Science (IFS) Grant (US$11,000) (2007-2008) to conduct research on “A comprehensive and integrated approaches to identify groundwater potential zones, recharge areas and recharge rates for the sustainable management of groundwater resource in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal”. (Principle Investigator) 
  1. Fuji Xerox Setsutaro Kobayashi Memorial Fund (US$ 10,500) (2007-2008) to conduct research on “Assessment of groundwater quality of urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal”. (Co- Investigator) 
  2. APFED Innovation Showcase for Sustainable Development (US$ 29,950) (2007-2009) to conduct research on promoting 3R concept (reduce, reuse and recycle) for the sustainable solid waste management in the Gokarneswor Village Development Committee of Kathmandu valley, Nepal. (Principle Investigator)
  1. Awarded The Takeda Techno-Entrepreneurship Award (2007) by The Takeda Foundation, Japan for techno-entrepreneurial achievement for world environmental well-being.
  2. Awarded AIT –DANIDA full scholarship (2002-2004) to pursue Masters of Science in Integrated Water Resources Management in Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand.
  3. Awarded Tribhuvan University Merit Scholarship (1997-2000) to pursue Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Nepal.
  4. Invited key-note speaker on ‘Groundwater and climate change: No longer the hidden resource’ in the National Symposium on Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Management of Groundwater Resources of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal’ on 28 December, 2009 in Kathmandu, Nepal.
  5. Invited speaker on ‘Groundwater management in Asia- experiences on Asia cities’ in the Groundwater Expert Meeting: Sustainable Groundwater Resources Management of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, organized by the Kathmandu Valley Water Supply Management Board (KVWSMB) on 4-5 July, 2010 in Hotel Himalaya, Nepal.
  6. Invited speaker on ‘Climate change impact and adaptation in water sector’ in International Symposium on the ‘Sustainable Water Management for Green Growth’ organized by Korea University Sejong Campus on 29-30 October, 2010 in Seoul Korea.
  1. Member, World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WAWSC)
  2. Member, American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  3. Member, International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS)
  4. Member, International Water Association (IWA)
  5. Member, Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE)

Climate Change and Adaptation, Integrated Water Resources Management, Hydrology and Water Quality Modelling, Groundwater Development and Management, Sustainable Water Management Policy