Prasanth Valayamkunnath

Dr. Prasanth Valayamkunnath serves as Assistant Professor Grade I in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM), having joined in December 2022 after working as an associate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). His research integrates climate modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, and hydrology to address climate extremes and water security challenges.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor's in Land Surface Hydrology from Kerala Agricultural University
• Master's in Climate Change and Hydrology from IIT Kharagpur
• Ph.D. in Climate Science from Virginia Tech (2019)

Valayamkunnath's research employs convection-permitting climate models and hydrology frameworks to investigate anthropogenic and natural influences on regional hydrology. Key focus areas include Indian Summer Monsoon dynamics, agricultural water management impacts, and flood modeling under climate change. His work bridges observational data with model development to enhance predictive capabilities for climate extremes.

Analysis of his 2018-2023 publications reveals strong emphasis on land surface model development (particularly Noah-MP), with recurring themes in agricultural water management, tile drainage systems, and groundwater-surface water interactions. His research consistently connects climate modeling advancements with practical applications in food and water security.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Ministry of Education STARS grant (2023)
• DST INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship (2022)
• Pratt Fellowship at Virginia Tech (2014)

He actively recruits PhD students for projects in land-atmosphere interactions and climate change impacts on hydrometeorology, supported by his DST INSPIRE Fellowship and STARS grant. His research program focuses on developing modeling frameworks to assess climate resilience in Indian agricultural systems.

Valayamkunnath founded and leads the Hydrometeorology and Climate Research Laboratory (HyCResLab) at IISER TVM, which specializes in convection-permitting climate simulations and integrated hydrology modeling for watershed-scale climate impact assessments.