Dr. Sumit Sen is Professor and Head of the Department of Hydrology at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), India with over a decade of experience leading hydrological research in the Indian Himalayas. His work centers on experimental hydrology, watershed modeling, rainfall-runoff processes, and climate change impacts on water resources. Dr. Sen has pioneered field-based hydrological studies across the Lesser and Western Himalayas, including forest hydrology, ecohydrology, springflow dynamics, sediment transport, and flow resistance in high-gradient streams.

He has led major projects such as the assessment of Himalayan spring systems (ICIMOD, UNDP), development of a LIDAR-based hydrometry system for mountainous terrain (WMO), and hydrological monitoring of glacier-fed and non-glaciated watersheds (ISRO, India). His field-based “HILLTOP” observatories have advanced understanding of ecohydrological and hydro-climatic interactions across fragile Himalayan landscapes.

Dr. Sen holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Auburn University, USA, and has authored over 50 publications, peer-reviewed, many addressing Himalayan hydrology. His patented rainfall simulator enhances the study of storm impacts in complex terrains. Through international collaborations and local engagement, Dr. Sen’s work contributes directly to water security, disaster mitigation, and sustainable development in the Himalayan region.