Pradeep Behera

Dr. Pradeep Behera is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering and Associate Dean of Research at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and has over three decades of academic and professional experience in water resources engineering. His roles include leadership positions at UDC, including Chair since 2014 and Professor since 2005. Prior roles include Associate Professor (2005–2013), Senior Water Resources Engineer at BPC Group and Clarifica Inc., and Senior Lecturer at NIT Rourkela, India.

Education:

• PhD in Civil Engineering, University of Toronto
• MSc in Irrigation & Hydraulics, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, India
• BSc in Civil Engineering, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, India

Research Focus: Dr. Behera specializes in water resources engineering, urban water systems, stormwater management, and climate change impacts. His work integrates engineering solutions with resilience to environmental challenges. He has secured grants from NSF and NASA for projects like risk-resilient infrastructure and sustainable financial technology.

Leadership & Awards:

• Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• Treasurer, District of Columbia Society of Professional Engineers
• Past President of DC and Maryland Professional Engineering Societies
• Recipient of Canadian Commonwealth and NSERC Fellowships

Grants & Impact: Notable grants include NSF-funded projects on climate change impact analysis (2011), risk-resilient education (2018), and sustainable fintech (2021). His contributions to UDC’s ABET accreditation and engineering education have been recognized with multiple service awards.

Courses Taught: Engineering Mechanics I/II, Fluid Mechanics, Hydrology/Hydraulics, Water Resources Engineering, and Engineering Ethics.