Simit Raval

Associate Professor Simit Raval is an academic leader in mining engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), specializing in sensing technologies for mining, environmental, and civil engineering applications. He currently serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mining Engineering and Co-Director of the Laboratory for Imaging of the Mine Environment (LIME). His research focuses on integrating advanced sensors (e.g., UAVs, LiDAR, hyperspectral systems) to address challenges in mine automation, environmental monitoring, and off-Earth resource extraction. He has secured over $3M in competitive grants, including multiple ACARP projects, and pioneered work on methane emissions quantification, spoil categorization, and underground laser scanning.

Education:

• PhD in Mining Engineering (UNSW, 2008–2011)
• Bachelor of Mining Engineering (Guru Ghasidas University, India, 1991–1994)

Research Interests:

• Industrial Automation: LiDAR optimization, AI-driven data analytics, sensor fusion
• Environmental Monitoring: Methane emissions quantification, mine rehabilitation, space resource extraction impacts
• Off-Earth Mining and Carbon Sequestration

Grants & Awards: Six national ACARP grants, UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Awards, International Tim Show Award, and recognition as 'Environment Champion' by MERESOC. His grants span sensor development, CO2 sequestration, and automated structural mapping.

Teaching & Supervision: Coordinates four core mining courses and supervises PhD/MS students in smart sensing, IoT, and robotics. Notable advisees include Timothy Pelech (Off-Earth Mining) and Sarvesh Kumar Singh (mobile laser scanning).

Labs & Teams: Leads LIME lab and collaborates across disciplines on projects like SCANDY (handheld imaging systems) and BHP Tailings Challenge. His work bridges academic research with industry applications in Australia and globally.