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Richa Ojha
PhD (Purdue University)
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
Research Interest
Flow and transport in porous media, Scaling of hydrological processes, Hydrologic extremes
Research Area
Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering
Education
B. Tech. in Civil Engineering, GBPUAT Pantnagar (2008)
M.E. in Civil Engineering, IISc Bangalore (2011)
PhD in Civil Engineering, Purdue University, USA (2014)
Teaching Area
Undergraduate courses
Computational Methods in Engineering (ESO 208), Civil Engineering Communication Skills (CE341), Engineering Hydrology (CE362), Hydraulic and Hydrologic Design (CE462)
Postgraduate Courses
Numerical Methods in Civil Engineering (CE604), Advanced Hydrology (CE610), Computational Methods in Hydraulics and Hydrology (CE613), Vadose Zone Hydrology (CE618), Moment Analysis for Contaminant Fate and Transport (CE737), Introduction to Profession and Communication (CE888)
Previous Work Experience
Associate Professor, July 2021 onwards
Assistant Professor, 2015-2021
Graduate Engineer Trainee (Larsen and Toubro Ltd), 2008-2009
Professional Affiliations
Indian Society of Hydraulics, 2015-present
American Society of Civil Engineers, 2011-present
Selected Publications
Songa, U. M. R., & Ojha, R. (2026). An Empirical Model for Time to Ponding Accounting for Root Water Uptake. ASCE Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 152(2), 04025052.
Vashishth, N., Pandey, A., & Ojha, R. (2025). Estimation of dual permeability model parameters in agricultural fields using a genetic algorithm‐based inverse modeling framework. Vadose Zone Journal, 24(6), e70067.
Pandey, A., and Ojha, R. (2025). Evaluating existing flow theories for modelling macropore flow through unsaturated soils: A numerical study. Advances in Water Resources, 105136.
Kumar, S., and Ojha, R. (2025). A numerical analysis of soil-water dynamics in agricultural fields with temporally varying soil hydraulic properties. Journal of Hydrology, 661, 133628.
S. Kumar, and R. Ojha (2024), A scaling-based model to describe temporal variability in soil hydraulic properties. Journal of Hydrology, 131265.
Awards & Fellowships
Practicum Exchange Program Fellowship, University of New South Wales, Australia, 2010
P. S. Narayanan Gold Medal, Indian Institute of Science, 2011
Ross Fellowship, Purdue University, 2011-2014
Jacques W. Delleur Award, Purdue University, 2013
CE Best Dissertation Award, Purdue University, 2014
ASCE State of the Art of Civil Engineering Award, ASCE, 2016
Early Career Research Award, SERB, 2016
NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award, NASI, 2020
S. N. Gupta Memorial Lecture Award, ISH, 2024
Editor's Choice Paper, ASCE Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 2026
Professional Experience
Associate Editor, Journal of Hydrology, 2025-present
Guest Editor, Environmental Earth Sciences, 2021-2023