Activities and Upcoming Events

1. Conferences

European Geosciences Union
a. EGU 2023
EGU Session Link: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU23/session/46119

Hydrometeorological and geomorphological hazards account for 45% of the fatalities and 79% of global economic losses. Exacerbated by high seismic activity and rugged terrain, the Himalayan landscape is particularly susceptible to generating these events, which often transform into cascading hazards—an initial event causes a downstream hazard chain, e.g. glacial lake outburst floods to debris flows. These hazards interfere with increasing population pressure and expansion of settlements along rivers and new infrastructure developments such as roads and hydropower projects. Rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns in the wake of global warming likely elevate risks from hazards such as landslides, glacial lake outburst floods, riverine and flash floods. The complexity of these hazards and their underlying processes demand scientific efforts and approaches from multiple disciplines.

Multidisciplinary approaches and methodologies are important to holistically estimate and predict hazard events and interactions of multiple hazards, and to understand how vulnerable societies cope and respond to these hazards in the Himalayan region.

This session aims to bring together expertise on approaches, methods, and data to advance the understanding of the impacts and changes in the extremely high mountain landscapes, with a particular focus on the trends of hydro-geomorphological disasters on the Himalayas and their societal impacts.

We welcome contributions from research topics (but not restricted to):
-hydro-geophysical modeling (landslides, glacial lake outburst floods, riverine and flash floods)

• Extreme event modelling
• Remote-sensing-based observations
• Risk/vulnerability assessment
• Theories and models of reducing vulnerabilities and adaptation to natural hazards
• Innovative data approaches to integrate natural and social science perspectives
• Iecovery to natural hazards, in particular, usage of longitudinal data methods

The session is closely linked to the NHESS special issue " Natural Hazards, Vulnerabilities, and Risks in the Himalayan Region".We encourage all session contributors to support this issue. 

Submit your abstracts: EGU 2022 and NHESS

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
b. IUGG Berlin 2023
IUGG Session Link: https://www.iugg2023berlin.org/825-2/

Hydrological induced extremes such as droughts, floods and heavy-rain-triggered mass movements account for 45% of the fatalities and 74% of the economic losses caused by natural hazards. Mountainous areas owing to unique hydro-climatological, geological and topographical conditions, and partly seismic activity are particularly susceptible to hydrological induces disasters. Furthermore, climate change is affecting hydrological processes particularly in high mountain regions. Rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns likely elevate risks from hydrological hazards such as frequent or intensified periods of water scarcity and heat waves, riverine and flash floods and associated mass movements, or the occurrence of glacial lake outburst floods. Often these hydrological extremes transform into cascading hazards where an initial event causes a downstream chain reaction. Such extreme events induced hazards interfere with increasing population pressure and expansion of settlements along rivers and new infrastructure developments such as roads and hydropower projects. The complexity of hydrological hazards and their underlying processes in mountainous landscape demand scientific efforts and approaches from multiple disciplines. The proposed session aims to compile recent research that analyses and predicts hydrological induced hazards and risks in the high mountainous region. We encourage research submissions from hydrological, hydrodynamic and hydro-sedimentological analysis and modelling, trends and patterns of extremes, analyzing past, present and future hazards and risks through innovative data-analysis, remote sensing, and risk assessment approaches. With the proposed session, we further target to elucidate options for improved risk management and mitigation in the future.

c. Roorkee Water Conclave 2022 (RWC 2022)
IIT Roorkee, 2 - 4 March, 2022

d. Conference on Natural Hazards and Risks in a Changing World at University of Potsdam

Research Training Group NatRiskChange at the University of Potsdam is organizing a second International Conference on Natural Hazards and Risks in a Changing World 2021 from 5-6 October 2021.
https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/natriskchange/activities/second-international-natriskchange-conference-2021

Sharing the same goal COPREAPRE as one of the partners encourages the contribution and participation of the IIT Roorkee and the COPRPEPARE team. We would be happy to financially support the participation of research students, PhDs, Postdocs and Faculty of IIT Roorkee in a limited capacity. Please submit your contribution with your abstract (250 words and max. 1650 characters), title, authors names, and affiliation until 15 May 2021 via the link:
https://www.conftool.net/natriskchange2021

Session Details
EGU Session Link: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU22/session/43112
Hydrometeorological and geomorphological hazards account for 45% of the fatalities and 79% of global economic losses. Exacerbated by high seismic activity and rugged terrain, the Himalayan landscape is particularly susceptible to generating these events, which often transform into cascading hazards—an initial event causes a downstream hazard chain, e.g. glacial lake outburst floods to debris flows. These hazards interfere with increasing population pressure and expansion of settlements along rivers and new infrastructure developments such as roads and hydropower projects. Rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns in the wake of global warming likely elevate risks from hazards such as landslides, glacial lake outburst floods, riverine and flash floods. The complexity of these hazards and their underlying processes demand scientific efforts and approaches from multiple disciplines.

Multidisciplinary approaches and methodologies are important to holistically estimate and predict hazard events and interactions of multiple hazards, and to understand how vulnerable societies cope and respond to these hazards in the Himalayan region. This session aims to bring together expertise on approaches, methods, and data to advance the understanding of the impacts and changes in the extremely high mountain landscapes, with a particular focus on the trends of hydro-geomorphological disasters on the Himalayas and their societal impacts.

We welcome contribution from research topics (but not restricted to)

• hydro-geophysical modelling
• remote-sensing-based observations
• risk/vulnerability assessment
• theories and models of reducing vulnerabilities and adaptation to natural hazards
• innovative data approaches to integrate natural and social science perspective
• recovery to natural hazards, in particular, usage of longitudinal data methods

The session is closely linked to the NHESS special issue “Estimating and Predicting Natural Hazards and Vulnerabilities in the Himalayan Region”. We encourage all session contributors to support this issue.

Submit your abstracts: EGU 2022 and NHESS

NHESS SI Link: https://www.natural-hazards-and-earth-system-sciences.net/articles_and_preprints/scheduled_sis.html

2. Workshops

a. Introduction to Google Earth Engine (GEE) and its applications

Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee successfully organized an offline workshop on “Introduction to Google Earth Engine (GEE) and its applications” on July 20, 2022. Prof Roopam Shukla, Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation and Management and and Dr. Praveen Kumar, Department of Hydrology, trained the participants and familiarized them with the Google Earth Engine, a free, cloud based, geospatial remote sensing processing platform. This workshop was designed to help students to retrieve, analyse, and manage spatial data using a few lines of simple code and Google Earth Engine (GEE).

b. Data Visualization Workshop

Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee and University of Potsdam successfully organized an online workshop on “Scientific Visualisation: Visualise your data effectively and avoid common pitfalls” on July 1, 2022 on the 2nd anniversary of the Co-PREPARE project. Dr Lina Stein, Hydrological Systems Group, Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Germany presented about tools, ideas, strategies and approaches in data visualization. The overarching goal was to visualize scientific data as an integral part of scientific understanding and communication.

c. Scientific & Academic Writing

Department of Hydrology (IIT Roorkee) and University of Potsdam (Co-PREPARE project partner) in collaboration with Potsdam Graduate School (PoGS) is hosting “Scientific & Academic Writing” a 3-day training program for advanced-stage PhDs and postdoctoral candidates of IIT Roorkee.

The course details are as follows:

• Course name: Scientific & Academic Writing (Three days 3-hour webinars)
• Date: 6th /7th/8th/ September 2021 (12:30 pm to 3:30 pm IST)
• Eligibility Criteria: Advanced PhD students with research area aligning with Co-PREPARE project theme
• Participants: The course is designed for a maximum of 14 participants.
• Course fee: 130 euro/person
• Course trainer: Mark Edwards

Bio: Mark Edwards has worked as the National Training and Development Manager for a network of over three hundred businesses in the UK, developing and delivering training courses for business owners and their staff on time management, marketing, commercial writing and customer service. Mark has conducted training in many institutes that include Freie Universität, Berlin, Technische Universität, Berlin, Humboldt University Graduate School, Potsdam Graduate School ,Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Max-Born-Institut, Robert Koch Institute, Hasso Plattner Institute, Potsdam University, University of Mannheim, Ruhr University Bochum, European School of Management & Technology.

d. Virtual Networking

Department of Hydrology (IIT Roorkee) and University of Potsdam (Co-PREPARE project partner) in collaboration with Potsdam Graduate School (PoGS) is hosting “Virtual Networking” a 2-day training program for advanced-stage PhDs and postdoctoral candidates of IIT Roorkee.

The course details are as follows:

• Course name: Virtual Networking (Two days 3-hour webinars)
• Date: 15th and 19th November 2021 (12:30 pm to 3:30 pm IST)
• Eligibility Criteria: Advanced PhD students with research area aligning with Co-PREPARE project theme
• Participants: The course is designed for a maximum of 14 participants.
• Course fee: 130 euro/person
• Course trainer: Mark Edwards

Bio: Mark Edwards has worked as the National Training and Development Manager for a network of over three hundred businesses in the UK, developing and delivering training courses for business owners and their staff on time management, marketing, commercial writing and customer service. Mark has conducted training in many institutes that include Freie Universität, Berlin, Technische Universität, Berlin, Humboldt University Graduate School, Potsdam Graduate School ,Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Max-Born-Institut, Robert Koch Institute, Hasso Plattner Institute, Potsdam University, University of Mannheim, Ruhr University Bochum, European School of Management & Technology.

3. Symposium

NATURAL-HAZARD SYMPOSIUM FOR THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS 2022 (NSIH 2022)

12 to 13 October 2022

NSIH - 2022 Report

Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee and the University of Potsdam under the Co-PREPARE project (https://ir.iitr.ac.in/COPREPARE) are organising its second “Natural Hazard Symposium for the Indian Himalayas 2022 (NSIH 2022)” on 12-13 October 2022 at the Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee sponsored by UGC and DAAD.

The NSIH 2022 aims to create awareness of multiple perspectives and research across domains in the Indian Himalayan region regarding natural hazards.

The symposium details are as follows:

Date: 12-13 October 2022 (Monday, 9 AM to 5 PM IST)

Venue: Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorke

Sessions:

Plenary Talk: Global Change and Impacts in Mountains

Keynote Talks: Exploring the Hydropower Potential

Panel Discussion: Concurrent and compounding multi- hazards in the Himalayan region

Training Course: Geomorphometric analyses with MATLAB using TopoToolbox

NATURAL-HAZARD SYMPOSIUM FOR THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS 2021 (NSIH 2021)

25 to 28 October 2021 Online

For more details

https://ir.iitr.ac.in/NSIH2021
NSIH 2021 Copy

Summer School

EMERGING SPACE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS FOR COMPOUND EXTREMES 2022 (STAC-X 2022)

Globally extreme precipitation, droughts and floods remain among the most common natural hazards having significant detrimental impacts on human welfare and economic prosperity. Such extreme events arise from the complex and cascading interactions between various physical processes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. To investigate such emerging compound extremes, space technology offers various satellite products (precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) which are easily accessible online free of cost. Despite so, the utility of such products and awareness among scientists, practitioners and different stakeholders is in infancy. Also, risks arising from extreme events navigate across multiple disciplines and go beyond the expertise of a single research group or research institute. Interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts enhance scientific discovery, which is limited despite the clear benefits.

Department of Hydrology organized Roorkee Summer School on Goesciencse focusing on Emerging Space Technology Applications for Compound Extremes (STAC-X 2022) from May 09 to May 20, 2022, as part of its knowledge-sharing agenda funded by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, Government of India. Distinguished experts shared their knowledge with a broader audience and discussed strengthening scientific discovery and collaborative research. STAC-X 2022 drew attention to the multidisciplinary aspect of the remote sensing and compound extremes domain. For more details, please visit https://iitr.ac.in/RS2G/index.html.

Potsdam Summer School 2022

8th Potsdam Summer School is going to be held during August 22 - August 31, 2022 in Potsdam, Germany with its underlying theme “Towards a Sustainable Transformation – Climate, Energy and Nature in a Changing World” (https://potsdam-summer-school.org). The foremost aim of this summer school is to bring together talented early-career scientists and young professionals working in the private sector, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organisations from different parts of the globe to discuss research questions on future sustainable development.

Co-PREPARE has sponsored four students of IIT Roorkee for participating in this summer school. The details of participants are as follow:

• Ms. Sujata S Kulkarni, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Nikunj Mangukiya, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Subhankar Das, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Ravi Kumar Guntu, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee and visiting doctoral researcher at GFZ German research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.

DAAD Panel Discussion: Research and Career Opportunities in Geo & Hydro Sciences

If Geo or Hydro Sciences is your field, then get now how Germany can give that extra edge to your career. DAAD Research Ambassadors will talk openly to you and also answer your questions.

November 17, 2022, 3:00 PM to November 17, 2022, 4:00 PM
Organiser: DAAD Regional Office New Delhi

More details: https://www.daad.in/en/event/panel-discussion-research-and-career-opportunities-in-geo-hydro-sciences/

Co-PREPARE offsite meeting at Rishikesh
Following members attended the Co-PREPARE IR offsite meeting

• Prof. Axel Bronstert, PI Co-PREPARE, Professor- Dept of Hydrology and Climatology UoP
• Prof N K Goel, Professor- Dept of Hydrology IITR
• Prof P Arumugam, Dean International Relations IITR, Co-PI Co-PREPARE
• Prof Sumit Sen, Head- Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation & Management, Assoc. Professor-Dept of Hydrology IITR
• Prof Ankit Agarwal, PI Co-PREPARE, Assit. Professor- Dept of Hydrology IITR
• Dr Oubanas Hind - Research Scientist INRAE
• Dr Jurgen Mey, Co-Prepare Coordinator-Institute of Environmental Science and Geography UoP
• Dr Wolfgang Schwanghart, Research Member-Institute of Environmental Science and Geography UoP
• Dr Julian Malard, Researcher- Research Institute for Development (IRD) France
• Dr Adrien Paris, LEGOS, Universite de Toulouse (CNRS, CNES,IRD, UPS)
• Dr Ravikant Ranjan, International Relations IITR
• Dr Shantanu Wahal, International Relations IITR
• Dr Praveen Kumar, Project Coordinator cum Postdoc IITR

Local Field Excursion

Co-PREPARE has sponsored M. Tech. (1st year) students of Department of Hydrology for local field excursion to see Chila Barrage and Bhimgowda barrage.

Internationalization

IIT Roorkee inks MoU with University of Potsdam to strengthen research partnership, and internationalization

• Kick-off Meeting of Co-PREPARE took place virtually on November 9, 2020. Prof. Oliver Günther (President, University of Potsdam) and Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi (Director, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee) gave short welcoming speeches. YouTube Link
• Prof. Ankit Agarwal (IIT Roorkee) and Prof. Bruno Merz (GFZ) along with their collaborators published a new article "Inter-Comparison of Gauge-Based Gridded Data, Reanalysis and Satellite Precipitation Product with an Emphasis on Hydrological Modeling"
• Co-PREPARE at EGU 2021:Hydropower in the Himalayan hazardscape (EGU21-16589) by Wolfgang Schwanghart et al. Session GM1.5 - 'Late-breaking Session: Hazard cascades from source to sink – the Elliot Creek and Chamoli events': Wednesday, 28 April 2021, 13:51 CEST.

IIT Roorkee inks MoU with GFZ to strengthen research partnership, and internationalization

International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics

Co-PREPARE has sponsored five PhD students of IIT Roorkee for participating in IUGG 2023. The details of participants are as follow:

• Mr. Ravi Kumar Guntu, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee and visiting doctoral researcher at GFZ German research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany.
• Mr. Pankaj Ramji Dhote, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Ashish Mishra, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Ankush, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee
• Mr. Abhishek Kumar, Ph. D. scholar, Department of Hydrology, IIT Roorkee