Profile:
Dr. Basanta Raj Adhikari has done his Ph.D. in Earth Science from the University of Vienna, Austria. His research interests are climate change, hill-slope movement and human interaction, Himalayan sediment flux generation, and community-based disaster risk reduction for different kinds of natural disasters e.g. landslide, flood, earthquake. He has published more than a dozen research papers in both national and international journals and received various recognitions for his work in the field of earth science.
Education
- Ph.D. in geology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, Department of Geodynamics and sedimentology, 2009
- MSc in Geology, Central Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. 2001-2003.
Employment Record:
Academic/Research:
Academic:
- (From April-September 2023) Guest Professor, Keio University, Japan, Responsible for Training, research and development in different kinds of research and development on disaster risk reduction.
- (From June 2015 to June 2018, From January 2021 to date) Deputy Director, Centre for Disaster Studies, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Responsible for Training, research and development in different kinds of disasters in Nepal and abroad.
- (From June 2021 to date) Distinguished foreign Associate professor, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- (From November 2011 to date) Assistant Professor of Engineering Geology, Department of Civil Engineering, Central Campus, Pulchowk Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Responsible for teaching engineering geology, and landslide, supervising students in the field as well as in lab to conduct research. Course coordinator of landslide for M.Sc. in Disaster Risk Management. Course coordinator of engineering geology for M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering.
Research:
Thesis supervision in M.Sc
- Landslide susceptibility mapping and risk analysis of hill roads: A case study of Narayanghat-Mugling Highway, 2017.
- Preparation of Landslide Susceptibility Mapping focusing on Geotechnical investigation, Landslide Risk Assessment, and Risk perception in the Sindhupalchowk District, 2017.
- Investigation of karst structure in the Kusma area of Parbat district using electrical resistivity tomography (ert), Krishna Subedi Department of Civil Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2016.
- Effect of Urbanization on Urban Flooding: A case study of Tikapur Municipality, Hotrika Joshi, Department of Civil Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2016.
- Hazard Mapping of the Sinkhole affected Armala Area, Pokhara, Nepal by Surveying geophysical and Geotechnical investigation, Pradeep Pokharel, Department of Civil Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2016.
- Use of GIS Technology For Landslide Hazard Mapping In Indrawati Basin, Sub-Basin Of Koshi Watershed, Nepal, Anup Dhakal, Department of Civil Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2014.
- Flood vulnerability and capacity assessment of people of Holiya VDC in Bake district, Prakash Khadka, Department of Civil Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2013.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS:
Journal Article
2023
- Tian, B., Liu, W., Mo, H., Li, W., and Adhikari, B.R., 2023. Detecting the Unseen: Understanding the Mechanisms and working principles of earthquake sensors, Sensors, V. 23 (11), 5335, https://doi.org/10.3390/s23115335.
- Jiang, H., Xu,C., Adhikari, B.R., Liu, X., Tan, X. and Yuan, R., 2023. Editorial: Environmental change driven by climate change, tectonism and landslide. Front. Earth Sci. 10:1076801. doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.1076801
- Wu, S., Di, B., Ustin, S.L., Wong, M.S., Adhikari, B.R., Zhang, R., and Luo, M., 2023. Dynamic characteristics of vegetation change based on reconstructed heterogenous NDVI in seismic regions. Remote Sensing, 15 (2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15020299.
2022
- Adhikari, B.R. and Gautam, S., 2022. A review of policies and institutions for landslide risk management in Nepal. Nepal Public Policy Review, v. 2, pp. 93-112.
- Sharma, S., Talchabhadel, R., Nepal, S., Ghimire, G.R., Rakhal, B., Panthi, J., Adhikari, B.R., Pradhanang, S.M., Maskey, S and Kumar, S., 2022. Increasing risk of cascading hazards in the central Himalayas, Natural Hazards, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05462-0
- Kunwar, B.M., Adhikari, B.R., Muensit, N., Techato, K., and Gyawali, S., 2022. Role of vegetation for the protection of Phewa Watershed, Kaski, Nepal, Environment and Ecology Research, 10(2): 161-173.
- Adhikari, B.R., Gautam, S., and Paudel, B, 2022. Landslide, landcover and land use changes in its impacts in Nepal: In: Sarkar, R., Shaw, R. and Pradhan B. (eds) Impact of Climate Change, Land use and Land Cover, and Socio-economic Dynamics on landslides. Springer, Singapore. pp. 149-164.
2021
- Adhikari, B.R., 2021. Perturbation of earth surface process by a geophysical and meteorological process in the Nepal Himalaya: In: Kolathayar S., Pal I., Chian S.C., Mondal A. (eds.) Civil Engineering for Disaster Risk Reduction. Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering. Springer, Singapore. pp. 181-189.
- Adhikari, B.R., Menon, V. and Kolathayar, S., 2021. Geohazard Investigation and Management: In Introduction. In: Adhikari, B.R. and Kolathayar, S. (Eds.) Geohazard Mitigation: Select proceedings of VCDRR 2021, Springer, pp. 1-8.
- Adhikari, B. R., 2021, Lightning fatalities and injuries in Nepal. Weather Climate and Society, v.13 (3), 449-458
2020
- Adhikari, B.R. and Paudayal, K.N. 2020, Palynological evidence for the Neogene environment analysis of the Thakkhola Graben, Nepal, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, v. 60, pp. 117-129.
- Chen, F., Adhikari, B.R. and Tian, B. 2020, Identification of Landslide Susceptible Areas For The Proper Settlement Planning In The Kali Gandaki Road Corridor, Nepal. IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 5238-5241.
- Sargeant, S., Finlayson, A., Dijkstra, T., Flinn, B., Schofield, H., Miranda Morel, L., Twigg, J., Lovell, E., Stephenson, V., Adhikari, B.R., 2020, The Influence of the physical environment on self-recovery after disasters in Nepal and the Philippines, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, v. 50.
- Xiong, K., Adhikari, B.R., Stamatopoulos, C.A., Zhan, Y., Wu, S., Dong, Z. and Di, B., 2020, Comparison of Different Machine Learning Methods for Debris Flow Susceptibility Mapping: A case Study in Sichuan Province, China, Remote Sensing, Vol. 12 (2), 295, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12020295.
- Gnyawali, K. R., Zhang, Y., Wang, G., Miao, L., Pradhan, A.M.S., Adhikari, B.R., Xiao, L., 2019, Mapping the susceptibility of rainfall and earthquake-triggered landslides along China-Nepal Highways, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 79, pp. 587-601.
2019
- Menges, J., Hovius N., Andermann, C., Dietz, M., Swoboda, C., Cook, K.L., Adhikari, B.R., Vieth-Hillebrand, A., Bonnet, S., Reimann, R., Koustdodendries, A., Sachse, D., 2019. Late Holocene landscape collapse of a Trans-Himalayan dryland: Human impacts and aridification, Geophysical Research Letters, (DOI: 10.1029/2019GL084192)
- Thapa, P.S. and Adhikari, B.R., Development of community-based landslide early warning system in the earthquake-affected areas of Nepal, Journal of Mountain Science, 16 (12), pp. 2701-2713.
- Chen, F., Tian, B., Adhikari, B.R., Gou, X., 2019. Mapping digital drainage network using geoprocessing: A case study of Kali Gandaki River basin, Nepal Himalaya. IEEE, 978-1-5386-9154-0/19, 3479-3482.
2018
- McAdoo, B.G., Quak, M., Gnyawali, K.R., Adhikari, B.R., Devkota, S., Rajbhandari, P.L., Sudmeier-Rieux, K., 2018, Roads and landslides in Nepal: how development affects environmental risk, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. vol. 18, pp. 3203-3210.
- Stolle, A., Schwanghart, W., Andermann, C., Bernhardt, A., Fort, M., Jansen, J.D., Wittmann, H., Merchel, S., Rugel, G., Adhikari, B.R., Korup, O., 2018, Protracted river response to the medieval earthquake, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 44, pp. 331-341, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4517.
- Cook, K.L, Andermann, C., Gimber, F., Adhikari, B.R. and Hovius, N., 2018, Glacial lake outburst floods as drivers of fluvial erosion in the Himalaya, Science, Vol. 362, pp. 53-57.
- Adhikari, B.R. and Sitoula, N.R., 2018, Community based flash flood early warning systems: a low-cost technology for Nepalese mountains, Bulletin of Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, v. 20, pp. 87-92.
2017
- Stolle, A., Swchwanghart, W., Andermann, C., Bernhardt, A., Wittmann, H., Merchel, S., Rugel, G., Fort, M., Adhikari, B.R. and Korup, O., 2017, Catastrophic valley fills record large Himalayan earthquakes, Pokhara, Nepal, Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 117, pp. 83-103.
- Adhikari, B.R., Nidal, N., Yadav, B.K. and Awasthi, S., 2017, Landslide risk assessment of the Patlekhet landslide, Myagdi district, Nepal, Journal of the Institute of Engineering, vol. 13 (1), pp. 78-89.
- Gnyawali, K.R. and Adhikari, B.R., 2017, Spatial Relations of Earthquake Induced Landslides Triggered by 2015 Gorkha Earthquake Mw=7.8, Landslide research and risk reduction for advancing culture of living with natural hazards, Advancing Culture of Living with landslides, M. Mikos et al. (eds.) Spinger Publication, pp-85-93.
- Rai, S.M., Upreti, B.N., Shakal, S., Bhattarai, T.N., AdhiKari, B.R.,Bajracharya, S.R. and Yoshinda, M., 2017, Climate Change Impact on Glacier Retreat and Local Community in the Langtang Valley, Central Nepal, Journal of Development Innovations, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 45-59.
- Bicker, J.D., Schwanghart, W., Adhikari, B.R., Moriguchi, S., Roeber, V. and Giri, S., 2017, Performance of models for flash flood warning and hazard assessment: the 2015 Kali Gandaki landslide breach in Nepal, Journal of Mountain Research and Development. V.37, No 1, pp. 5-15.
2016
- Gnyawali, K.R., Maka, S., Adhikari, B.R., Chamlagain D., Duwal, S. and Dhungana A.R., 2016, Spatial Implication of Earthquake Induced Landslides Triggered by the April 25 Gorkha Earthquake Mw 7.8: Preliminary Analysis and Findings, Proceeding of International Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Post Disaster Reconstruction Planning, pp. 50-58.
2015
- Schwanghart, W., Bernhardt, A., Stolle, A., Hoelzmann, P., Adhikari, B. R., Andermann, C., Tofelde, S., Merchel, S., Rugel, G., Fort, M., Korup, O., 2015, Repeated catastrophic valley infill following medieval earthquakes in the Nepal Himalaya. Science, vol. 351, 2015. 10.1126/science.aac9865
- Gotz, J.; Weidinger, J.T.; Kraxberger, S.; Hennecke, J.B.; Adhikari, B.R., 2015, Geomorphologic and Hydrologic characteristics of Populated Rockslide Deposits (Sagarmatha National Park, Khumbu Himala, Nepal), Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 7, pp. 1038-1048.
- Moss, R.E.S.; Thompson, E.M.; Kieffer, D.S.; Hashah, M.A.Y.; Acharya, I.; Adhikari, B., Asimaki, D.; Clahan, K.B.; Collins, B.D.; Dahal, S.; Jibson, R.W.; Khadka, D., MacDonal, A.; Madugo, C.L.M.; Mason, H.B.; Pehliyan, M.; Rayamajhi, D. and Uprety, S. 2015, Geotechnical Effects of the 2015 Magnitude 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal Earthquake and Aftershocks, Seismological Research Letters, V. 86, no. 6, pp. 1514-1523.
2014
- Emerman, S.H; Nelson, J.R; Carlson, K.; Anderson, T.R.; Sharma A.; Adhikari, B.R., 2014, The effect of surface lithology on arsenic and other heavy metals in surface water and groundwater in Mustang Valley, Nepal Himalaya, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, vol. 47, pp. 1-21.
- Khadka, P and Adhikari, B. R. 2014, Flood vulnerability and capacity assessment of people of Holiya VDC in Banke district, Nepal, Proceedings of the International Symposium on ‘Geohazards: science, engineering and Management’ pp. 536-548.
2013
- Adhikari, B. R. and Wagreich, M., 2013, Microfacies analysis and paleoenvironmental significance of palustrine carbonates in the Thakkhola-Mustang Graben (Nepal Himalaya), Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, vol. 77, pp. 117-126.
- Emerman, S.H., Stuart, K. L., Sapkota, A., Khatri, S., Adhikari, B. R. and Williams, J., Garcia, P. K. 2013,Support for the fluvial recharge model for arsenic contamination of groundwater in Pokhara Valley, Nepal Himalaya, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, vol. 46, pp.75-94.
2012
- Adhikari, B.R. and Paudyal, K.N, 2012, Neogene pollen assemblage from the Thakkhola-Mustang Graben, central Nepal Himalaya, Bulletin of Nepal Geological Society, Vol. 29, pp. 53-58.
2011
- Rai, S.M., Yoshida, M., Upreti, B.N., Bhattarai, T.N., Ulak, P.D., Gajurel, A. P., Dahal, R. K., Dhakal, S., Koirala,M. P., Sharma, L. N. and Adhikari, B.R., 2011, Field excursion guidebook series on geology, natural hazards and vegetation of the Nepal Himalaya, Bulletin of Nepal Geological Society, Vol. 28, pp. 93-98.
- Adhikari, B. R. and Wagreich, M., 2011,Facies analysis and basin architecture of the Neogene Thakkhola-Mustang Graben, central Nepal, Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences, vol. 104/1, pp. 66-80.
2010
- Adhikari, B. R. and Wagreich, M., 2010, Provenance evolution of collapse graben fill in the Himalaya – the Miocene to Quaternary Thakkhola-Mustang Graben (Nepal), Sedimentary geology, vol. 233, pp. 1-14.
2007
- Adhikari, B. R., 2007, An overview of Thakkhola-Mustang Graben, Bulletin of Nepal Geological Society, Vol. 23, pp. 53-57.
2006
- Adhikari, B. R. and Tamrakar, N. K., 2006, Bank instability and erosion problems of Bishnumati River, Kathmandu, Nepal, Nepal Geological Society, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, vol. 34, pp.109-116.
Books:
- Devkota, S. and Adhikari, B.R., 2015, Development of Ecosystem based Sediment Control Techniques and Design of Siltation Dam to Protect Phewa Lake, Government of Nepal/United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), 64p.
- Adhikari, B.R. and Suwal, M.K., 2013, Hydrogeological Study in BangsingDeurali VDC, Syangja, An Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Mountain Ecosystem in Nepal, IUCN, Nepal, 60p.
- Yoshida, M., Upreti, B.N., Rai, S.M., Bhattarai, T.N., Ulak, P.D., Gajurel, A. P., Dahal, R. K., Dhakal, S., Koirala, M. P., Sharma, L. N. and Adhikari, B.R., 2011, Guidebook for Himalayan Trekkers (Series No. 2), Eco-trekking in the Everest Region, Eastern Nepal, Department of Geology, Tri-Chandra Multiple campus, Tribhuvan University, 192p.
Book Edition:
- Kolathayar, S., Ghosh C., Adhikari, B.R., Mondal, A. (2022): Resilient Infrastructure, Select Proceedings of VCDRR 2021, Springer, 467 p.
- Adhikari, B.R. and Kolathayar, S., (2022): Geohazard Mitigation, Select Proceedings of VCDRR 2021, Springer, 460 p.
Book Chapters:
- Poudel, B. and Adhikari, B.R., 2021, Land use and land cover. In: Ojha, R.B. and Panday, D. (Eds.) The Soils of Nepal, Springer, pp. 41-51.
- Adhikari, B.R. and Ojha, R.B., 2021, Geology and Physiography. In: Ojha, R.B. and Panday, D. (Eds.) The Soils of Nepal, Springer, pp. 29-39.
- Chaudhary, S., Adhikari, B.R., Chaudhry, P., Dorji, T. and Poudel. R., 2021, Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA) in the Hindukush Himalaya: Status, Progress and Challenges. In: Mukherjee, M. and Shaw R. (Eds.) Ecosystem-Based Disaster and Climate Resilience, Springer, pp. 29-51.
- Adhikari, B.R., Bingwei, T., 2021, Spatiotemporal distribution of Landslides in Nepal, In: Eslamina, S. and Eslamina, F., (Eds.) Handbook of Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience, Springer, pp. 453-471.
- Dhital, M.R. and Adhikari, B.R., 2020, Thrust sheets, tectonic windows and internontane basins in the Nepal Himalaya. In: Biswal, T.K., Ray, S. K. and Grasemann, B. (eds.) Structural geometry of Mobile Belts of the Indian Subcontinent, Society of Earth Scientists Series, Springer, Cham, pp. 233-254.
- Adhikari B.R., Shrestha S.D., Shakya N.M. (2019) Future Urban Water Crisis in Mountain Regions: Example of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. In: Ray B., Shaw R. (eds) Urban Drought. Disaster Risk Reduction (Methods, Approaches and Practices). Springer, Singapore, pp. 169-182.
- Fort, M., Adhikari, B.R. and Rimal B., 2017, Pokhara (cental Nepal): A dramatic, yet Geomorphologically active environment Vs. a dynamic, rapidly developing city, Urban geomorphology: Landforms and processes in cities (Marry Thornbush and Casey allen eds.), Elsevier publication, pp. 231-258.
- Adhikari, B.R., 2015, Land and Soil, Compendium of Environment Statistics, Central Bureau of Statistics, Government of Nepal, pp. 47-68.
General Articles:
- Adhikari, B.R., 2021, नेपालको विपद ब्यबस्थापनमा बिज्ञान र प्रविधिको महत्व, पूर्व तयारी, दिपिनेट-नेपालको रजत प्रकाशन, 70-71
- Thapa, G.B. and Adhikari, B.R., 2021, COVID-19 situation in the Tribhuvan University, Nepal, pp. 29-30
- Adhikari, B. R., 2016, Gorkha Earthquake 2015: Cause and Effect, Techno-civil, vol 5, pp. 20-25.
- Fort M., Adhikari B.R., Stolle A., Schwanghart W., Korup O. (2015). Catastrophic mountain wall collapses in the Nepal Himalayas: a review, with focus on Pokhara valley. Extended abstracts of the IAG Conference on « Gradualism versus Catastrophism in Landscape Evolution, Barnaul, Russia. pp. 15-18.
- Adhikari, B. R., 2013, Rock mass classification system and problems associated with their parameters in underground excavation system, Techno-civil, vol 4, pp. 51-55.
- Adhikari, B. R., 2013, पोखराउपत्यकाको भौगोलक उपती र बिकासक्रम, स्मारिका, Lions Club of Pokhara Chautari, pp. 51-53 (Article in Nepali).
- Adhikari, B. R., 2012, बेगनास : भौगोलिक र भौगर्भिक परिचय, बेगनास पत्रिका, वर्ष ७, अंक १, 30-32
- Adhikari, B. R., 2011, पश्चिम नेपाल स्थित थाकखोला –मुस्तांग उपत्यकाका तालीय अवयवहरुको विस्लेषण , हाम्रो सम्पदा, वर्ष ११, अंक ६, 55-60 (Article in Nepali)
- Adhikari, B. R., 2010, An introduction to Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), GEOWORLD, pp 30-32.
- Adhikari, B. R., 2000, Topography of the Ocean Floor, GEOWORLD, pp 88-89.
Technical Study Reports:
- Nepal Urban Resilience Project (NURP): Scoping study, The Department for International Development (DFID), 2018, Nepal.
- Investigation and treatment of landslides for recovery and reconstruction of earthquake affected areas of Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha district, Nepal, Save the Children International, 2017
- Geotechnical Field Reconnaissance: Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake of April 25, 2015 and related shaking sequence, GEER Association Report No. GEER-040. 2015
- Design and develop low cost and low tech Community Based Early Warning System (CBEWS) for Flash flood, Eastern Nepal, CFGORRP/UNDP/DHM/IoE 2014.
- Piloting Early Warning System (EWS) for Landslides in Far West of Nepal, Mercy Corps/ IoE, Nepal, 2014
Countries of work experience
Nepal, India, Austria, Myanmar, China, Kenya
Language
Language | Speaking | Reading | Writing |
Nepali | Mother-Tongue | ||
English | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
Hindi | Good | Good | Good |
German | Good | Good | Good |
Chinese | Basic | Basic | Basic |
Awards and grants
- “Sichuan 1000 talents”, Sichuan Provincial Government, 2020.
- Travel Grants to attain the 36th International Geological Congress -2020, New-Delhi, India.
- “Sichuan University, China Double –Talent Category-B” Sichuan University, China, 2019.
- “Young Affiliates” The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) 2017-2021.
- “Young Scientist” Integrated Research on Disaster Risk, 2017
- “Established Scientist Award” in European Geoscience Union (EGU)-2016.
- NFP for short course on “Rock and Soil Mechanics in engineering geology”, University of Twente, The Netherlands, January 7-March 8, 2012.
- Nepal BiddhyaBhusan Nepal (Ka), 2010, Ministry of Education, Government of Nepal.
- Travel grant for the SEG/ExxonMobil Student Education Program (SEP) and the EAGE 71stConference and Exhibition in Amsterdam, June 6-11, 2009.
- Conference grant for European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2009, Vienna, Austria, 19 – 24 April 2009 by OMV, Austria.
- PhD scholarship, 2006-2009, oead, Austria.
Membership in Professional Associations
- Editor, Journal of Coastal and Riverine Flood Risk.
- Editor, Environmental change driven by Climatic Change, Tectonism and Landslide, Frontiers in Earth Science
- Secretary, Geomorphological Society of Nepal, 2017-2019.
- Editor, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, 2016-2017.
- Regular member of Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance, USA
- Executive member of Nepal Tunneling Association
- Editor, Journal of Nepal Geological Society, 20a12-2014.
- Life member of Nepal Tunneling Association
- Life member of Nepal Geological Society, LM 535
- Member of American Geophysical Union, 2009.
- Member of European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers, 2009
- Member of International Association of Sedimentologists, 2009.
- Member of European Geosciences Union, 2008-2009.