Faisal Hossain

Biography

Faisal Hossain received his Ph.D. from The University of Connecticut, his M.S and B.S from The National University of Singapore and Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi, respectively. His research interests are hydrologic remote sensing, sustainable water resources engineering, transboundary water resources management and engineering education. He is the recipient of awards such as NASA New Investigator Award (2008), US Fulbright Faculty Award (2012), G.O.L.D. (Graduate Of the Last Decade) award from University of Connecticut (2012), American Geophysical Union (AGU) Charles Falkenberg Award (2012),  ASCE Walter Huber Award (2015),  American Geophysical Union International Award (2020) and UW Excellence in Global Engagement (2023). In 2022, he was elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and a Fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers (EWRI).

The overarching mission of Faisal Hossain is to make access to information on water a ‘fundamental right for all nations and all humans’ and apply earth science discoveries with engineering technology to improve availability of food, water and energy around the world. He has published over 190 peer-reviewed journal articles, authored undergraduate textbooks, edited four books and contributed nine book chapters. His research and education initiatives have resulted in several independently-owned and operated management system for national and regional agencies of Asia, Middle East and the United States for improved water, food and energy security. He served as Editor for Journal of Hydrometeorology (2015-2020), as chair for ASCE Task Committee on "Water Infrastructure, Weather and Climate" (2015-2018) and as Applications lead for Science Team of Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission (2016-2022). Currently he serves as a Co-Chair of the US-Iraq Science and Technology Initiative by the US Department of State called Mesopotamian River Revival. Faisal Hossain launched the nation’s first Student STEM Film Contest for STEM majors at University of Washington in 2017. His first docu-fiction movie titled “Joler Par” (Rising Tide) contested unsuccessfully at film festivals in 2014. However, his most recent films that have been screened at film circuits, such as "Bay of Hope" (2015) and “Cotton Fields from the Ivory Tower” (2017), give him hope for a full-time film-making career one day. He has recently completed his 6th film project after six years of production, which is a 8 min animated short based on a personal story called “The Silent Route.”  Faisal Hossain is also the author/editor of the two volume series illustrated Children’s Book titled “The Secret Lives of Scientists, Engineers and Doctors” (2020). In 2022 Faisal Hossain published his third Children's Book titled "Robots and Other Amazing Gadgets Invented 800 Years Ago" as part of an on-going effort to excite the young generation to explore out doors how the natural world works using basic laws of physics. Currently he is working on his second undergraduate textbook with Cambridge University Publishers titled "Satellite Remote Sensing for Water Management" that is scheduled for release in early 2025.

Education

• Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 2004
• M. Eng in Civil Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 1999
• B.Tech in Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Varanasi, India, 1996

Previous appointments

• Associate Professor (2009-2014 January), Tennessee Technological University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Assistant Professor (2004-2009), Tennessee Technological University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Graduate Research Assistant (1999-2004), University of Connecticut, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Statement

We believe that humanity’s greatest achievements are not in its discoveries but in how those discoveries are used to make the world a better place. Our vision is therefore to work towards a world with improved access to fundamental livelihood resources of water, energy and food while maintaining a healthy planet for our future generations. We aspire to become the world’s premier research group that improves livelihoods in challenging environments through sustainable application of earth science, remote sensing and advanced information technology. We are all about crossing the last mile using user-ready research that empowers others to improve their livelihoods in a sustainable and resilient manner.

Current projects

NASA - Operational Services for Water, Disaster and Hydropower Applications for Lower Mekong Populations Using NASA Earth Observations and Models

NSF Research and Training (NRT) - Training a Scientifically Innovative, Communication Savvy STEM Workforce for Sustaining FoodEnergy-Water Services in Large and Transboundary River Ecosystems

NSF - Linking Current and Future Hydrologic Change to Hydropower, Human Nutrition, and Livelihoods in the Lower Mekong Basin

NASA - Improved Reservoir Management with Simultaneous Monitoring of Water Quantity and Quality using Multiple Satellites, SWOT and RAT-WQ2

NASA- Lake Observations from Citizen Scientists and Satellites: Validation of Satellite Altimetry to Support Hydrologic Science

NASA - Strengthening Regional and National Capacity for Operational Flood and Drought Management Services for Lower Mekong Nations via Mekong River Commission and SERVIR-Mekong

Honors & awards

• NASA Early Adopter Award, 2024
• UW Excellence in Global Engagement, 2023
• Fellow, Environmental and Water Resources Institute, ASCE, 2022
• Fellow, American Meteorological Society, 2022
• International Award - American Geophysical Union, 2020
• ASCE Walter L. Huber Award - 2015
• Charles Falkenberg Award (A Union Award)– American Geophysical Union -2012
• Fulbright US Faculty Award- 2012
• Outstanding Achievement Award, ASCE-EWRI, 2018
• AGU Cinema (USA), Tasveer (Seattle), 11th Eco-Film Festival (Malaysia) and Tech Doc Festival (Seattle) Selections for Cotton Fields from the Ivory Tower -2017
• American Meteorological Society Editor’s Award- 2015
• Graduate of the Last Decade (G.O.L.D) Award – University of Connecticut -2012
• Caplenor Award (Tennessee Tech University Highest Award) – 2012
• Education Excellence Award, National Association of Environmental Professionals -2010
• Outstanding New Faculty Research Award, American Society of Engineering Education -2009
• NASA New Investigator Program Award - 2008
• Outstanding PhD Thesis Award, School of Engineering, University of Connecticut - 2005
• NASA Earth System Science Fellowship, 2002-2006
• American Meteorological Society
• Environmental and Water Resources Institute, ASCE

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