Name: Rabin Bhattarai
Tel: (919) 513-4438 (office) (217) 390-4933 (mobile)
Email: rbhatta2@illinois.edu (NCSU email address updating soon)
EDUCATION
3. Ph D University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign August 2011
Agricultural and Biological Engineering (Major: Soil and Water Resources Engineering)
Dissertation title: Modeling fate and transport of Cryptosporidium parvum and Rotavirus in surface and near-surface flow
Dissertation advisor: Prasanta K. Kalita
2. M Eng Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand 2005
Water Engineering and Management (Specialization: Integrated Watershed Development and Management)
1. B Eng Tribhuvan University, Nepal 2002
Civil Engineering (with distinction)
HONORS AND AWARDS
12. Boyd-Scott Graduate Research Award, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2011
11. ABE Graduate Achievement Fellowship Award, University of Illinois, 2010
10. Ben and Georgeann Jones Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Illinois, 2010
9. Conference Travel Award, University of Illinois, 2008
8. Ben and Georgeann Jones Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Illinois, 2008
7. Certificate of Completion of Teaching College, College of ACES, University of Illinois, 2007
6. Alpha Epsilon, inducted 2007
5. Gamma Sigma Delta, inducted 2006
4. Donald S McPhee Fellowship, University of British Columbia, 2006
3. Full Scholarship for M. Eng. study at School of Civil Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology, 2003-2005
2. The Best Outgoing Student in the Department of Civil Engineering, Tribhuvan University, 2002
1. Merit-based Scholarship for B. Eng. (Civil) study at Tribhuvan University, 1998-2002
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
University of Illinois, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2006 – Present
Graduate Research Assistant
4. Model development, calibration, validation, and laboratory work and for doctoral research on modeling fate and transport of microbial pathogens
3. Teaching modules development and evaluation of different stormwater management, soil erosion and sediment control measures and products for Erosion control research and training center
2. Field experiment, report writing for Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) sponsored project - Development and evaluation of compost best management practices for disturbed lands
1. Field experiment, report writing for Iowa Cattemen’s Association funded project - Vegetative treatment system technology for beef feedlot runoff management in Illinois
University of British Columbia, Department of Forest Resources Management, 2005 – 2006
Research Assistant
2. Instrumentation, hydrological and sediment transport modeling at Russel Creek experimental watershed
Asian Institute of Technology, Regional Network office for Urban Safety (RNUS), 2005
Research Associate
1. GIS database preparation, flood inundation modeling, socio-economic development prediction modeling, report writing for the project - An Assessment of the socio-economic impacts of floods under climate change conditions in large coastal cities in South and South-East Asia
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Illinois, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 2007 – 2009
Graduate Teaching Assistant
1.Graded assignments and conducted laboratory sessions for the courses: ABE 498 Non-Point Pollution: Processes and Control (Spring 2007), ABE/CEE/TSM 455 Erosion and sediment control (Fall 2007), TSM 100 Technical Systems in Agriculture (Spring 2009) and ABE 456 Land and Water Resources Engineering (Spring 2010)
Asian Institute of Technology, Water Engineering and Management, 2004
Teaching Assistant
2.Conducted tutorial classes and graded assignments for the course Watershed Hydrology
Kathmandu Engineering College, Department of Civil Engineering, 2002 –2003
Lecturer
1.Conducted theory, tutorial classes and laboratory for the courses: Applied Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics and Engineering Hydrology for Undergraduate students
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Design Advocate Pvt. Ltd., Nepal, 2002-2003
Civil Engineer, Survey, design, estimation and supervision of commercial and residential buildings assigned by the company
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Publications
5. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., Trask, J., M.S. Kuhlenschmidt (2011) Development of a physically-based model for transport of Cryptosporidium parvum in overland flow, Environmental Modeling and Software, 26 (11): 1289-1297.
4. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., Yatshu, S., Heidi, H.R., N. Svendsen (2010) Evaluation of compost blankets for erosion control from disturbed lands, Journal of Environment Management, 92(3): 803-812.
3. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., M.K. Patel (2009) Nutrient transport through vegetative filter strip with subsurface drainage, Journal of Environmental Management, 90(5): 1868-1876.
2. Bhattarai, R., D. Dutta (2008) A comparative analysis of sediment yield simulation by empirical and process-oriented models in Thailand, Hydrological Sciences Journal, 53(6): 1253-1259.
1. Bhattarai, R., D. Dutta (2007) Estimation of soil erosion and sediment yield using GIS at catchment scale, Water Resources Management, 21(10): 1635-1647.
Refereed Publications (submitted and working papers)
3. Bhattarai, R., Y. Alila. Effects of the size of the watershed on the tail characteristics of flood frequency distributions. (Journal of Flood Risk Management, in review)
2. Verma, S., Bhattarai, R., Goodwin, G., Cooke, R., J. Chun. Evaluation of conservation drainage systems in Illinois. (Transactions of ASABE, in preparation).
1. Bhattarai, R., P.K. Kalita, P. Davidson, M.S. Kuhlenschmidt. Modeling fate and transport of microbial pathogen. (Environmental Modeling and Software, in preparation)
Refereed Conference proceedings
5. Dutta, D., R. Bhattarai (2009) Soil erosion and sediment yield estimation by empirical & process-based approaches, Proceedings of International conference on “Water, Environment, Energy and Society (WESS-09), New Delhi, India, pp. 526-534.
4. Mugal, Habib-ur-Rehman, R. Bhattarai (2005) Modeling and socio-economic impact analysis of floods in coastal cities under sea level rising scenarios: a case study of Karachi, Pakistan, Proceedings of The International Symposium on Floods in Coastal Cities under Climate Change Conditions, Bangkok, Thailand, pp. 29-36.
3. Bhattarai, R., D. Dutta (2005) Analysis of soil erosion and sediment yield using empirical and process based models, Modeling Tools for Environment and Resources Management (MTERM) International Conference Proceedings, Bangkok, Thailand, pp. 215-226.
2. Dutta, D., R. Bhattarai (2004) Soil erosion and sediment yield modeling in large river basins, Proceedings of the CWR-Japan Symposium, NILIM, Hayama, Japan, pp. 41-42.
1. Bhattarai, R., D. Dutta (2004) Estimation of soil erosion and sediment yield using GIS: a case study in Chi-Mun River, Thailand, Proceedings of International conference on “Advances in Integrated Mekong river management”, Vientiane, Loa PDR, pp. 66 – 73.
Conference presentations and proceedings
7. Verma, S., Bhattarai, R., R. Cooke (2011) Evaluation of conservation drainage management systems in Illinois, ASABE Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY.
6. Monical, J., Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., Svendsen, N., H. Howard (2011) Evaluation of erosion and sediment control practices, ASABE Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY.
5. Verma, S., Bhattarai, R., Goodwin, G., Cooke, R., J. Chun (2010) Evaluation of conservation drainage systems in Illinois – Bioreactors, ASABE Annual Meeting (at Pittsburgh, PA) paper number 1009894, St. Joseph, MI.
4. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., M.S. Kuhlenschmidt (2008) Modeling fate and transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in overland flow, AGU fall meeting, San Francisco, CA.
3. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., M.S. Kuhlenschmidt (2008) Modeling fate and transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in overland and near surface flow, ASABE Annual Meeting (at Providence, RI) paper number 0082028, St. Joseph, MI.
2. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., M. Patel (2007) Measurement and simulation of runoff and nutrient transport through vegetative filter strips, ASABE Annual Meeting (at Minneapolis, MN) paper number 072177, St. Joseph, MI.
1. Hrachowitz, M., Floyd, B., Hudson, R., Anderson, A., Bhattarai, R., Alila, Y., M. Weiler (2005) A New Experimental Setup in a Rain-on-Snow Dominated Watershed to Improve Subsurface, Rain-on-Snow and Hydrological Recovery Modeling on Various Scales. CWRA/CSHS workshop “Hydrology for the Orographically Challenged”, Nov. 2005, Manning Park, BC, Canada.
Research reports and theses
2. Bhattarai, R., Kalita, P.K., S. Yatshu (2009) Development and evaluation of compost best management practices for disturbed lands. (Submitted to Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), US Army Corps of Engineers)
1. Bhattarai, R. (2005) Analysis of soil erosion and sediment transport using empirical models and a process-based distributed model (Unpublished M Eng thesis)
GRANTS AND FUNDED RESEARCH
6. M. Eng. thesis research grant (2004)
Funding Agency: United Nations University; Funded with: US$ 2,000.
5. Vegetative treatment system technology for beef feedlot runoff management in Illinois (2007)
Funding Agency: Iowa Cattleman’s Association; Fund requested: US$ 149,960. (Successful but the project withdrawn after a year)
4. Modeling surface transport of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts through vegetative filter strips (2010) Funding Agency: U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; Fund requested: US$ 260,225. (Unsuccessful)
3. Performance evaluation of ditch checks and inlet protection structures (2011)
Funding Agency: Illinois Department of Transportation; Funded with: US$ 293,590.
2. Evaluation of erosion control blankets, mulches, and compost on steep slopes (2011)
Funding Agency: Illinois Department of Transportation; Funding request: US$ 315,040. (Unsuccessful but will be considered for next year’s funding)
1. Professional development and training on erosion control through Erosion Control Research and Training Center at University of Illinois (2011)
Funding Agency: North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE); Fund requested: US$ 74,994. (In review)
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND SERVICES
Member: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), American Geophysical Union (AGU), American Water Resources Association (AWRA), North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS), Asia Pacific Association of Hydrology and Water Resources (APHW), Nepal Engineering Council (NEC)
Manuscript reviewer: Hydrological Sciences Journal, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Journal of Environmental Management, Land Degradation and Development, Natural Hazards, Water Resources Management, Journal of Earth System Science
SKILLS
Programming Languages: MATLAB, Visual Basic, FORTRAN 77/90, Python, R
Operating Systems: MS Windows, Linux
GIS/RS software: ArcGIS, MapWindow, ArcInfo, ArcView, ENVI
Others: SWAT, MODFLOW, WEPP, HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, MIKE-SHE, MIKE 11, MIKE BASIN, PCSWIM, MS office, AutoCAD, SQL/Oracle, SPSS, SAS |
