Umesh Haritashya, Associate Professor in the Department of Geology, received his Ph.D. from the IIT Roorkee, India and postdoctoral training under NASA project in Omaha, Nebraska. Since joining UD in 2008, Dr. Haritashya’s research has revolved around the fact that alpine environments are sensitive to climate change. Therefore, analyzing glacier complexity and its environmental relationship is the key to developing a broader understanding of the climatic impact on glaciers, water resources, natural hazards, and sea-level rise.

In the last eight years, he and his group has received research grants totaling almost $3 million from agencies such as NASA, USAID, UNDP, and National Geographic Society. He has published 36 peer-reviewed articles and ~100 abstracts and conference presentations. He has edited ~1100 page landmark reference book on snow, ice, and glaciers and currently editing another reference book Treatise on Geomorphology.

As Mann Chair, Dr. Haritashya plans to collaborate with faculty to integrate artificial intelligence in the natural sciences to promote scientific discovery and maximize the utility of data. He also intends to advocate human rights through science by developing an interdisciplinary initiative around science and human rights engagement.

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