People

Paola Mazzoglio (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)

I am an Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Torino (Italy). My research focuses on rainfall extremes and their impact on communities. One of my primary areas of interest lies in digitizing historical data, ensuring that valuable information from the past is readily accessible for modern analysis. I am also currently involved in the creation of several national-scale datasets of hydrological variables and water infrastructures. Within YHS, I would like to actively support the creation of connections between early-career scientists and contribute to the promotion of open science.

Faranak Tootoonchi (Uppsala University, Sweden)

Currently I am working as Postdoc at Uppsala University in the Department of earth science. I have a keen interest in statistical and mathematical formulation of natural processes. My research focuses on bias correction of climate model outputs to enhance multivariate hydrological modelling in changing climates.

Epari Ritesh Patro (University of Oulu, Finland)

I am an interdisciplinary environmental researcher with particular expertise in climate-water-energy nexus. My current research activity focuses on the analysing and quantifying the impact of climate change, renewable deployment, carbon and fuel prices over hydropower’s future in the alpine and arctic environment.

Mira Anand (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands)

I am a PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences at VU Amsterdam. My research focuses on understanding how groundwater affects river flow and flood dynamics at continental to global scales. Before beginning my PhD, I worked on the development of global hydrological data at Confluvio Consulting and as a research assistant at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

Charalampia-Maria Chatzikonstantinou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)

I am a Ph.D. student at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. My thesis is titled “Risk Analysis in Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment through index methods”. This research aims to construct a completed simulation model of water resources and their management, which fulfills the demands of spherical water resources management. Apart from my Ph.D. studies, I’m attending a MSc Program on hydraulics engineering, focused on natural disasters and water resources management, and I’m an engineer in my family’s firm.

Giulio Paradiso (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)

I am a PhD student in Water and Environmental Engineering. My research focuses on risk assessment of urban pluvial flood events through hydraulic and hydrodynamic modeling. The main goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of these events, even more frequent due to climate change, and to develop an innovative, practical methodology for evaluating and mitigating associated risks in urban contexts.

Sathyanarayan Rao (Indian Institute of Science, India)

I am currently a Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. I completed my PhD in Engineering Sciences at UCLouvain, Belgium in 2020, where I worked on computational modeling of the electrical signatures of plant roots as part of the eRoot project. My research interests span soil-root water modeling, digital twins in agriculture, and scientific computing. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work across institutions in India, Europe, and the USA, contributing to topics ranging from root phenotyping to computational physics. Beyond research, I am a passionate science communicator and hobby writer. I enjoy creating educational content on the internet. In my free time, you’ll often find me exploring new places—traveling is a hobby that keeps me inspired.

Tom Scheltema

Recently, I graduated from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with a master’s degree in Hydrology. During my thesis research at Witteveen+Bos, I worked on a project focused on hydrological system restoration, specifically addressing the geohydrological component. This experience further fueled my interest in geohydrological issues and has led to a position as a geohydrologist at the engineering firm RSK Nederland. At this company, I have the opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in practice and make a difference in project development. However, I sometimes miss a sense of connection with the hydrological community to exchange and expand knowledge. Therefore, I have decided to join YHS. Apart from my job, I enjoy sailing, football, writing and music.

Greicelene Silva (University of São Paulo, Brazil)

I am currently pursuing a PhD at the São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, in São Carlos, Brazil. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s degree in Water Resources Planning, in which I investigated the impacts of dam breaks on river water quality. My doctoral research focuses on developing disaster risk mitigation strategies related to water supply systems. As part of my PhD, I had the opportunity to work as a visiting researcher at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung) in Potsdam, Germany.

Alexandre Sokoloski de Macedo (Federal University of Paraná, Brazil)

I am an engineer and a Master’s student in the Environmental Engineering Department at the Federal University of Paraná (Brazil), working on large-scale Hydrology. My research focuses on seasonality patterns of low flows and their impact on water management. I have experience with water availability analysis, hydrological models (GR4J and Sacramento), water management, and statistics. My passion is to understand hydrological patterns and everything related to extreme values, like droughts and floods.

Diana Spieler (University of Calgary, Canada)

I am a computational hydrologist working on automatically identifying suitable conceptual model structures for a specific task, dataset and catchment and hope to improve our knowledge on which model to use where and why.

Pedro Torralbo Muñoz (University of Cordoba, Spain)

Drought and torrential rainfall in mediterranean mountains such as sierra nevada in granada, spain, and how climate change impacts on river flow are my main interests.

Giulia Bruno (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Switzerland)

I am a postdoc at the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), mainly interested in hydrological extremes and changes at a regional scale.

Rashid Akbary (University of Padova, Italy)

I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Padova where I investigate how a warming climate reshapes precipitation extremes. I hold a master’s degree in Water and Geological Risk Engineering. My doctoral research in particular focuses on evaluation of the spatial variability of future precipitation extremes using convection-permitting regional climate models.

Ethiopia Bisrat Zeleke (Florida International University, USA)

I am currently working on spatiotemporal modeling of drought propagation.

Lorenza Cappellato (Università di Roma La Sapienza, Italy)

I am a PhD student in Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering. My current research focuses on extreme events, with a particular emphasis on identifying the most vulnerable regions in terms of agricultural, energy, and economic risks. My project integrates historical data analysis, climate modeling, and socio-economic impact assessments to understand current trends and predict future scenarios influenced by climate change.

Edea Kosanović-Marin

I am a hydrogeology graduate from the University of Copenhagen, passionate about sustainable water management and environmental stewardship. My master’s thesis focused on groundwater modeling for sustainable abstraction in Power-to-X applications. Following my thesis, I gained project management experience during my internship in a climate change and sustainability-focused organization and am now eager to apply my skills to new opportunities within the water industry. My goal in joining YHS is to connect with a community of young professionals, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative projects while strengthening international cooperation within the water sector. When I’m not diving into all things water, you’ll probably find me painting, striking a yoga pose, cycling around town, or hiking – always ready to go with the flow!

Maria Margarita Ntona (University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Italy & Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technologies of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” and a research assistant at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. My research interests span a wide range of topics including water research management, environmental geology and groundwater quality/quantity variations under climate crisis, salinization, remote sensing, algorithm development, and surface water/groundwater modeling.

Stefania Oliva (CMCC, Italy)

I am a Junior Research Associate at the Regional Models and Geo-Hydrological Impacts (REMHI) Division of CMCC, where I contribute to the development and analysis of regional climate models. My current work focuses on the analysis of climate indicators related to extreme events, considered both as individual occurrences and as compound events. The aim of my research is to enhance the understanding of local impacts of climate change through the processing and interpretation of high-resolution climate model data.

Kaidi Peng (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA)

I work on satellite-based precipitation uncertainty estimation and the effects of precipitation uncertainty in hydrologic modeling and flooding risk assessment.

Ishita Bhatnagar (Indian Institute of Technology IIT Delhi, India)

My research work revolves around developing an integrated groundwater model to investigate anthropogenic influences on hydrological fluxes.

Reza Aghlmand (Université de Poitiers/CNRS, France)

I am a PhD student at the Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP), a joint research institute of the University of Poitiers and the CNRS (France). Holding a master’s degree in water resources engineering with a focus on groundwater modeling, I am currently conducting my PhD research on predicting water and solute transport in porous media. More specifically, my work aims to quantify the factors influencing water and solute diffusion in porous clay media by integrating numerical modeling with laboratory experiments. As a member of YHS, I am keen to connect with young researchers active in interdisciplinary fields of hydrology around the world and welcome opportunities for scientific collaboration and partnership.

Luana Camelo (University of Waterloo, Canada)

I am a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and a member of the Water Program – one of the most interdisciplinary graduate programs in water research worldwide. I hold a background in Environmental Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and a Master’s degree in Geography and Planning from the University of Toronto, Canada. I have previously worked as a hydrologist in Brazil, and my current PhD research focuses on large-scale nutrient dynamics through wetland modelling. For me, being part of the YHS is an opportunity to support young hydrologists by fostering connections, collaboration, and international engagement. I am keen to contribute to an encouraging environment where early-career researchers can develop together, while also helping to raise the visibility of Brazil’s hydrological community on the global stage.

Pallavi Goswami (Monash University, Australia)

I am a post-doctoral research fellow working on understanding flash drought processes, their drivers, lifecycle, and characteristics. My broad research interests include understanding droughts, hydroclimatic regime shifts, compound extreme events, climate teleconnections, and machine learning.

Medha (Newcastle University, United Kingdom)

I am a hydrologist pursuing a PhD at Newcastle University, funded by the UKRI NERC OnePlanet Doctoral Training Partnership. My research focuses on the use of hydrologic and hydrodynamic models to evaluate the effectiveness of flood mitigation strategies. I’m particularly interested in flood quantification through hydrometric data analysis. Alongside my research, I’m committed to science outreach, especially around climate change and flood management, aiming to inspire diverse groups of young people. I am excited to connect with fellow early-career hydrologists from around the world. As a member of the National Branch of the YHS, I hope to encourage discussion fostering new research and global collaboration.

Omar Ashraf Nimr (University of Oulu, Finland & Ain-Shams University, Egypt)

I’m a doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, specializing in integrated surface–subsurface hydrological modeling. I started my career in Egypt, which – despite being home to many talented young hydrologists – offers limited access to scientific networks and mentorship opportunities. Since then, I’ve studied and worked across several countries, earning an Erasmus Mundus master’s in applied ecohydrology in Germany, Poland, Belgium, and Portugal, and conducting part of my PhD research in Australia. These experiences have shown me the power of strong professional networks in shaping early-career opportunities. That’s why, via YHS national branches, I’m looking forward to building platforms that connect young hydrologists, especially those from underrepresented regions like Egypt, to the global hydrological community.

Konstantinos Papoulakos (National Technical University of Athens, Greece)

I am a Ph.D. candidate at the National Technical University of Athens (Greece). My research focuses on natural hazards and their associated economic impacts, with a specialization in the spatiotemporal clustering of extreme flood events through the integration of hydrological, climate, and insurance data. By combining hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling with data-driven methods, my work aims to enhance flood resilience strategies and support the development of effective early warning systems. As part of the YHS, I aspire to engage with a global community of early-career researchers and contribute to the advancement of innovative, interdisciplinary approaches in water science.

Abdellatif Rafik (University Mohammed VI Polytechnic UM6P, Morocco)

My research endeavors encompass diverse climatic contexts and interdisciplinary approaches, including hydrological modeling in mountainous regions, investigations into soil salinity and siltation in oasis zones, groundwater recharge and marine intrusion in coastal areas.

Ouafik Boulariah (University of Cagliari, Italy)

I’m a postdoctoral researcher (RTDa) at the University of Cagliari (Italy), specializing in hydrology, climate variability, and water resource management in Mediterranean and semi-arid regions. My research focuses on drought assessment, precipitation variability, and the development of stochastic and conceptual models for streamflow and groundwater prediction. Within the YHS, I’m committed to strengthening connections among early-career scientists and actively promoting open science within the hydrological community.

Xiaoyi Dong (Safe City Research Institute, Simomach, China)

I am a researcher at the Safe City Research Institute, China National Machinery Industry Corporation, with a focus on soil moisture dynamics, flood prediction, and urban flood risk assessment. As an Outreach Officer on the YHS board, I am passionate about sharing hydrological knowledge, career opportunities, and community updates through social media. With a background in hydraulic engineering and hands-on experience in flood prediction, I deeply understand the growing importance of hydrological research in the context of climate change. I believe social media is a powerful tool to connect and empower our community, and I am committed to using it to support early-career scientists and promote global water resilience.

Xinyang Fan (University of Bern, Switzerland & University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany)

I am a junior Postdoc researcher and my research interests focus on hydrological modeling, groundwater modeling, climate change impact assessment, and alpine hydrology. I am passionate about science communication and my responsibility in YHS is to help young hydrologists stay connected and updated on the new knowledge, news, and developments in hydrology.

Shubham Goswami (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA)

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, working on modelling nitrate transport in agricultural systems in the USA. My doctoral work focused on integrated hydrological modelling with emphasis on groundwater processes in the tropical catchment of southern India. My research interests span from farm-scale agricultural management practices to large-scale hydrological processes. My research is driven by the twenty-three unsolved problems in hydrology with special emphasis on anthropogenic influence on the hydrological cycle at various spatio-temporal scales. With YHS, my efforts will be directed towards extending the network connections and reach of YHS, bridging the gap between scientists and graduate students.

Vikram Kumar (Department of Planning and Development, Government of Bihar, India)

I am working as a scientist (Hydrology) in the Government for the flood early warning system and disaster risk reduction. My core research focus on the hydrological field instrumentation, rainfall—runoff understanding, watershed management and planning.

Rajeev Ranjan (Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India)

I am a doctoral researcher in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Water Resources Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. My research focuses on process-based hydrological and hydraulic modelling, flood risk assessment, and climate change adaptation—particularly in climate-sensitive and data-constrained environments. I have contributed to national and international research initiatives, including the NASA-ISRO NISAR mission, and conducted extensive fieldwork in high-altitude, challenging terrains of the Indian Himalayas. With YHS, I am committed to strengthening international scientific collaboration, creating inclusive outreach opportunities for early-career researchers, and actively contributing to research in climate-sensitive and data-constrained regions.

Maryam Taheri

MSc in Environmental Engineering at Politecnico di Torino, Italy.

Roshanak Tootoonchi (University of Trento, Italy)

Currently, I am a postdoc at University of Trento, Italy. I have a background in hydrology, climatology, and meteorology. My current project focuses on studying drought and aridity in the Mediterranean region and the impacts on the hydrological cycle. I work with large-ensemble climate models (SMILEs) to investigate the climate system, that is, assessing internal variability versus the actual signal of change and the time of emergence of the signal from the background noise.