Namita Shrestha, the first person
to graduate from a new doctoral program in civil and environmental engineering
at Mines, at work in a lab.
RAPID CITY, SD (Aug. 28, 2018) – Namita
Shrestha is the first graduate of a new Ph.D. program in Civil
and Environmental Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
Her work involves harnessing clean energy for widespread use. Shrestha’s
research centered around a set of microbes, initially discovered in the Sanford Underground Research
Facility, in Lead, SD, that generate electricity in a similar way to
electric eels.
Shrestha’s thesis focused on maximizing the efficiency of
what’s known as bioelectrochemical systems. By
understanding the right combination of microbes and materials it’s possible to
harness clean energy for widespread use in various applications.
Possible outcomes of Shrestha’s research include new ways to
generate electricity and treat
solid waste during NASA space missions, the ability for a wastewater
treatment plant to help generate electricity while turning effluent into clean
water, a new way to clean saline wastewater generated in oil drilling
operations, and better ways to turn food waste, such
as tomatoes and corn stover, into electricity.
“Our project demonstrates
a potential for sustainable waste treatment and clean energy production,” says Shrestha.
Shrestha studied under Venkata
Gadhamshetty, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Civil and
Environmental Engineering Department. “Namita is a diligent worker. She quickly
evolved as a model for many other graduate students. Her strong publication
record demonstrates her potential to emerge as a star researcher. She has a potential
to evolve as an independent researcher and a good teacher,” says Gadhamshetty.
“I would like to
express my sincere gratitude to my adviser Dr. Gadhamshetty whose guidance helped me during the entire
course of my Ph.D. research. My sincere thanks also goes to the entire Civil
and Environmental Engineering faculty and all my colleagues in Dr.Gadhamshetty’s research group,” Shrestha
adds.
The graduation of the first Ph.D. from this new doctoral program
at SD Mines is a milestone for the university and the Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering. “Dr. Shrestha’s work is a fine example of the
exciting and beneficial research being done by graduate students and faculty at
SD Mines,” says Dean of Graduate Education Maribeth Price, Ph.D.
“This milestone shows the potential for on-going research at
Mines. We’re proud of Dr. Shrestha’s accomplishment and we are excited to see
the progress in this field of study.
This is the type of research that has potential to spin-off into local industries
and start-up companies,” says SD Mines President Jim Rankin, Ph.D.
Shrestha has accepted a position as lecturer at the
University of Wisconsin-Platteville.