From fields to algorithms
Water is life, but for those who depend on agriculture it is also livelihood, sustenance, and survival. Growing up, I was fascinated by the delicate balance between soil, water, and crops, and by how even a small inefficiency in irrigation could affect an entire farming season. That curiosity has taken me across fields and research labs, and now into data-driven agriculture.
My first deep dive into water resource management came during my Bachelor's in Agricultural Engineering at Punjab Agricultural University. While studying irrigation techniques and soil conservation, I evaluated straw management technologies in paddy fields, which first exposed me to the challenges of water loss and sustainability.
Wanting to understand how soil stores and moves water, I pursued a Master's in Soil and Water Engineering. I designed and ran HYDRUS-1D simulations to estimate groundwater recharge in transplanted and direct-seeded rice fields, and saw first-hand how modeling can complement real-world water management.
Research alone wasn't enough, though; I wanted to build practical solutions. As a Senior Research Fellow, alongside managing field trials, I developed low-cost, microcontroller-based sensors to track microclimate variation under different treatments. It was the first time I saw how technology could transform water conservation.
Applying science to real problems
In 2023 I began my Ph.D. in Water Resources, now at the University of Idaho in the Agrohydrology for Global Change Lab, focusing on irrigation and soil–water–plant interactions. My research blends hydrological modeling, remote sensing, and machine learning to better understand soil water budgets and improve water productivity in agriculture. Recent work includes:
- Developing new functionality for the
pyfao56Python package to model crop evapotranspiration and irrigation scheduling. - Using OpenET and gridMET data in Google Earth Engine to quantify consumptive use and irrigation demand across the Eastern Snake Plain.
- Evaluating how soil organic carbon gains change soil water budgets, to understand the real benefits of conservation practices.
Looking ahead
My goal is simple: make agriculture more water-efficient and resilient. As climate change reshapes water availability, we need data-driven, adaptive irrigation systems that help farmers grow more crops with less water. I am working on a framework that integrates soil water simulations, OpenET remote sensing data, and field sensors, so that growers and water managers can make better decisions in water-scarce regions.