Sudhansu Sekhar Rath

Sudhansu S. Rath

Researcher | Editorial Board Member | Urban Climate & Atmospheric Modeling

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About Me

Exploring urban-climate interactions through high-resolution modeling

Now at: Arizona State University (Postdoctoral Research Associate) Previously: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

I am a climate scientist focused on how urban growth reshapes local weather, extreme heat, and intense rainfall. I blend high-resolution WRF/UrbanWRF simulations with reanalysis and satellite data to unpack land–atmosphere feedbacks from neighborhood to megaregion scales.

I translate those diagnostics into decision-ready guidance for cities planning for heat waves, flooding, and compound hazards, working with collaborators across urban systems, hydrology, and public agencies.

  • Run convection-permitting experiments to isolate urbanization impacts on heat and precipitation.
  • Validate simulations with ERA5, AORC, and remote-sensing datasets for actionable skill.
  • Deliver clear stories and visuals that connect model insights to resilience decisions.
National Institute of Technology Rourkela SRM University, Chennai Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology

Education

2015 - 2021

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

National Institute of Technology, Rourkela

Research: Urbanization and its Interaction with Weather and Climate

2011 - 2013

Master of Technology (M.Tech)

SRM University, Chennai

Specialization: Remote Sensing & GIS

2006 - 2010

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech)

Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT)

Specialization: Agricultural Engineering

Experience

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Arizona State University

Oct 2025 - Present
  • Advanced climate modeling and urban heat island research

Postdoctoral Researcher

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Aug 2022 - Oct 2025
  • High-resolution climate simulations and extreme weather analysis

Research Associate

CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute

2021 - 2022
  • Climate data analysis and modeling support

Graduate Research Assistant

National Institute of Technology, Rourkela

2015 - 2021
  • Investigating urban heat island effects and land use impacts on local climate using WRF model

Assistant Professor

Galgotias University, Greater Noida

Aug 2013 - Dec 2014
  • Taught undergraduate courses in Remote Sensing, GIS, and Environmental Engineering
  • Supervised B.Tech projects on geospatial applications
  • Developed lab curricula for GIS and surveying courses

Technical Skills

Atmospheric Modeling

WRF v4.7 WPS NCL GrADS

Programming & Analysis

Python xarray geopandas MATLAB

Geospatial Tools

ArcGIS QGIS ENVI ERDAS

Data Processing

ERA5 AORC NetCDF HDF5

High-Performance Computing

SLURM Linux Bash Git

Research Interests

Urban Meteorology

Urban heat islands, land use change impacts, urbanization effects on local climate

Numerical Weather Modeling

High-resolution WRF simulations, model sensitivity studies, parameterization schemes

Climate Extremes

Extreme precipitation events, monsoon variability, climate change impacts

Remote Sensing & GIS

Satellite data analysis, land cover classification, geospatial modeling