People
Dr. Khalid Osman
Assistant Professor
Civil & Environmental Engineering at Stanford University
Dr. Khalid K. Osman is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and a Center Fellow by courtesy at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Khalid also holds faculty affiliations at the King Center for Global Development and the Center for the Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. He earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Fellowship and a Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. His research focuses on the operationalization of equity and justice in the provision of infrastructure services. Specifically, employing qualitative and quantitative methods to develop novel frameworks at the intersection of the natural, built, and social environment. Currently, he is concentrated on water sector infrastructure, working to develop consistent and measurable definitions of water equity, frameworks for equity in the adoption of new water technologies, and exploring socio-technical solutions to sanitation justice challenges in rural communities. He has a passion for impact driven community-engaged research, highlighted by multiple collaborations with local community-based organizations. He leads Osman Lab to develop new approaches to equitable and just infrastructure in a world where climate change challenges vulnerable communities every day.
Meet the Team
Post-Doctoral Scholar
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Dr. Zahra Heydari holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC), where her research focused on data-driven approaches to residential water use and smart metering. Her dissertation developed machine learning frameworks for high-resolution water disaggregation, synthetic data generation, and novel metrics such as stagnation time to reveal household-level water patterns and inform conservation strategies that advance environmental sustainability.
Dr. Zahra Heydari
Postdoctoral Researcher
PhD Candidates
Allisa Hastie
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I grew up in rural California and have a personal and professional interest in everything related to water and environmental issues in the American West. I completed my B.S. And M.S. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Outside of the office, I am involved with my church community and enjoy playing recreational sports with friends and doing ceramics. I anticipate finishing my PhD in 2026, to learn more about my interests and career goals visit my personal website.
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My current work combines qualitative and quantitative research methods to identify challenges and develop solutions for water and wastewater systems in vulnerable U.S. communities. I specifically work on water affordability, tap water distrust, rural sanitation system failures, and consolidation of small drinking water systems. My work seeks to reveal the impacts of poorly functioning infrastructure systems in vulnerable U.S. communities through interviews, focus groups, surveys, and water sampling. This work has fostered partnerships with community organizations and academic institutions nationwide, allowing me to leverage my technical expertise while continuously learning from the communities I engage with.
Aadhityaa Mohanavelu
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I love working on problems that connect engineering to meaningful societal impact. Outside of research, I enjoy being part of the broader Stanford community through student organizations and campus events. I also value time with family and friends, exploring new places, and learning about different cultures and perspectives.
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My research develops data-driven methods to measure, compare, and improve infrastructure service delivery, with an emphasis on water systems in urban and rapidly developing regions. At the Osman Lab, I combine household surveys, fieldwork, statistical and machine-learning methods, causal inference, spatial analysis, and visualization to study how infrastructure systems perform for the people who rely on them. I am broadly interested in translating this research into practical metrics, interactive spatial tools, and decision-support systems that help agencies, communities, and researchers identify service gaps, evaluate policy options, and improve public outcomes.
For more information about my research, publications, and ongoing work, please visit my personal website.
Oluchukwu Obinegbo
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I hold a B.Tech in Physics and have always been drawn to understanding how we can better align our use of natural resources with the needs of both people and the planet. I previously worked as an Environmental Consultant at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, where I developed tools to support water quality monitoring. Now, as a PhD candidate, I study the social and technical dimensions of energy systems in resource-constrained contexts. Outside of research, I enjoy baking, photography, and getting lost in a good novel.
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My research focuses on equitable and sustainable energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa, examining how infrastructure, governance, and structural inequality intersect to shape energy disparities. Using mixed-methods approaches and grounded in local perspectives, my work contributes to emerging frameworks for understanding and addressing energy poverty in African contexts—bridging the disconnect between top-down energy interventions and the lived realities of communities navigating energy precarity.
Samyukta Shrivatsa
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I received my B.S. in Environmental Engineering Science at UC Berkeley, with a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. Outside of work, I enjoy experimenting with different dance forms and classical music, exploring nature trails, and practicing yoga. I am always ready for a good conversation on literature, preferably over a cup of masala chai.
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I work on creating decision support tools that help community-based organizations plan for natural disasters. My work focuses on holistically understanding risk by combining community insights gathered from participatory methods with GIS hazard modeling.
This ensures that disaster planning tools serve on-ground stakeholders, and are grounded in the lived realities of those most affected. By bridging scientific modeling with local knowledge, my work ensures that disaster planning is technically sound and justice-centric, empowering frontline communities to lead resilience efforts that reflect their priorities.
Shuojia Fu
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I graduated from UC Davis with a double major in Environmental Science & Management and Economics, and earned my master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Stanford. I’m passionate about applying data analytics and advanced machine learning and deep learning models to address challenges in environmental infrastructure. In my free time, I enjoy singing and watching TV shows.
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My research uses machine learning to identify fine-scale water infrastructure challenges by analyzing sparse sensor data and unstructured, human-generated reports. By combining spatiotemporal modeling with large language models, I integrate objective measurements with subjective user experiences to create a holistic view of infrastructure performance.
Clara Medina
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During my B.S. at UC Merced, I worked on projects spanning from the equity of wastewater-based epidemiology in CA to understanding how saltwater intrusion in agricultural regions of the CA Bay Area influences the local economy. I am focused on developing sustainable solutions for urban flooding in the U.S. In my free time, I like to paint, travel, and bake!
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My research advances urban flood planning by centering diverse stakeholder engagement throughout the engineering process–not just after decisions are made. This ensures our engineering solutions are targeted to support community needs. I use interviews and surveys to elevate community experiences with flooding, making sure they inform planning from the outset. I also study how community networks and information-sharing challenges shape engagement. This work is critical now, as cities upgrade aging stormwater systems that have long failed marginalized communities and work to rebuild public trust in the process.
PhD and Engineer Students
Veda Sunkara
E-IPER Student
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I have a BS and MS from Brown University in Computer Science, where I focused on Machine Learning and Computer Vision. I am interested in developing equitable disaster adaptation approaches for communities vulnerable to persistent, climate-change driven flooding. I grew up in California and love to read, run, and play basketball!
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I am interested in leveraging machine learning, modeling, and remote sensing techniques to co-develop adaptation solutions with the participation of flood-prone communities. Prior to starting my PhD, I worked as a machine learning engineer building algorithms to create flood maps from remotely-sensed imagery, in-situ sensors, and physics-based models for disaster planning and parametric flood insurance.
Aakanksha Chaudhary
CEE-ENG Student
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Post MS in Sustainable Design and Construction, my research on interdependent stakeholder coordination in large-scale construction and energy projects led me to question how these systems ultimately impact the communities they serve. Recognizing growing environmental challenges and the need for more meaningful community impact, I now study how infrastructure development can better align with social and environmental outcomes. Alongside my research, I enjoy creative writing, cooking, micro-photography, and exploring questions around the nature of self and universal interconnectedness.
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I study how governance frameworks shape the social and environmental outcomes of large-scale infrastructure systems, particularly in emerging sectors such as data center development. Using deductive multi-label content analysis of state and local statutory data, along with media analysis, I examine how procedural dimensions such as transparency, participation, and accountability are incorporated across different stages of project development. By connecting formal regulatory structures with lived community experiences, my research identifies where structural gaps in implementation and access persist. This work aims to inform more equitable and context-responsive data center development that better aligns with community and environmental priorities.
Master’s Students
Arianna Bordogna-Jurkowitz
Environmental Engineering
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I earned my B.S. at the University of Notre Dame where I majored in Environmental Engineering and Minored in Energy Studies. While an undergraduate I worked on a gravity-fed piped water distribution project in Ecuador and a pedestrian bridge project in Bolivia. Following my graduation, I spent a year living in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where I worked on rural infrastructure projects as the 2024 Bridge Program Fellow for Engineers in Action. My family is from Italy and I grew up speaking Italian, English, and Spanish. I love all things outdoors, including hiking, running, and open water swimming.
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I am currently working on an NSF-funded project using community-based survey methods to understand the impacts of Combined Sewer Overflow on low-income and marginalized communities in Des Moines, Iowa. More broadly, I am interested in understanding the complex socio-economic challenges that often influence international development engineering projects. I’m interested in effective community-forward strategies for flexible and resilient water resource engineering needed by rural developing communities as they adapt to face the challenges posed by climate change.
Hailey Lu
Environmental Engineering
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I have a bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Energy and Environment from the University of Calgary, and am currently pursuing a master’s in Environmental Engineering. I have worked as an Engineer-In-Training and construction inspector at Kerr Wood Leidal Associates prior to joining the Stanford community. Growing up an hour away from the Canadian Rockies, these mountains have taught me so much. I love running (track, trail, road…), backpacking, and birding!
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I am currently working with Clara Medina on the Houston nature-based solutions project involving data analytics for community-based participatory research. As an EIT, I was heavily involved in communications with rural and Indigenous communities in coastal British Columbia, and have researched and designed green stormwater infrastructure studies and projects. Everyday, there are things we as engineers can do better to design for the unique needs of diverse communities. My goal with my industry background is to learn about how to bridge the gap between academic research in nature-based solutions and consulting and field applications.
Sinna Nick
Environmental Engineering, African & African-American Studies Minor
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Sinna Nick is a student at Stanford University studying Environmental Engineering with a minor in African & African-American Studies. In their free time, Sinna enjoys baking, reading, and gardening with their family.
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Sinna is passionate about environmental justice and sustainability, and volunteers with Climate Resilient Communities in East Palo Alto as part of Stanford’s Partnerships for Climate Justice in the Bay Area five-year initiative. Sinna’s past research includes working with the Bill Lane Center for the American West to research water storage and climate resilience in California’s Central Coast. Sinna is very excited to be working with the Osman Lab and to have a part in helping to empower and improve advocacy for families and communities in East Palo Alto.
Diane Richards
Environmental Engineering
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Diane Richard is a Master's student in Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, with a focus on environmental data, statistics, and modeling. She is originally from France, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Energy and Environmental Engineering. Her research interests span hydrology, climate resilience, and the intersection of health and water access.
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Diane is also a D1 student-athlete on the Stanford Women's Track & Field team, specialized in the 400m hurdles. She enjoys spending time in nature and drawing.
Ponsuganth Muthuraman
Sustainable Design and Construction
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I graduated with a B.Tech. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and am currently pursuing an M.S. in Sustainable Design and Construction, focusing on sustainable urban systems. My passion lies in decarbonizing the built environment through the skills I glean at Stanford. I am also a Living Lab Fellow with the Office of Sustainability at Stanford working on embodied carbon in new construction projects. In my free time, I am usually trying out cooking a new indian recipe or racking my brain over a cryptic crossword clue.
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At the Osman Lab, I am currently working on a project analyzing projected financial benefits for Michigan utilities of implementing income-based water affordability programs, compared to the current revenue loss from unpaid bills and shutoff processes. This study uses a community-based participatory research approach to assess the costs of water shut-offs and the benefits of affordability programs in Michigan.
Samuel Enrique Camacho
Atmosphere/Energy
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I earned my B.S. in Economics/Econometrics from LSU, where I studied how buyout programs help communities mitigate hurricanes and how taxes influence energy activity. After graduating, I worked in investment banking, climate tech, and venture capital, spanning everything from renewable energy valuations to electric shipping infrastructure. At Stanford, I am pursuing the Environmental Engineering - Atmosphere/Energy MS, hoping to translate my career into valuable research! I am a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, and love to explore all things outdoors.
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I am currently working with Oluchukwu Obinegbo assessing how energy precarity in rural Nigeria extends beyond access to electricity. Coming from an upbringing where blackouts were routine, I want to blend engineering solutions with rigorous research to increase grid access in the Global South. My goal at the lab is to study these solutions and hopefully make them a reality in the future.
Undergraduate Students
Eva Geierstanger
Computer Science
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I am a senior at Stanford University majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and minoring in Chemistry. I am also pursuing a co-terminal Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering on the Atmosphere and Energy track. On campus, I am involved in student dance groups, serve as a Resident Assistant, and participate in sustainability initiatives, including HAI’s Green AI club and the Stanford Sustainable Investment Group.
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My research interests lie in the use cases of machine learning for energy applications, and I am particularly drawn to topics of environmental justice, especially amid the expansion of data centers and the use of AI algorithms. I currently work on a project in the Osman Lab identifying policy loopholes and gaps in ensuring procedural justice in data center development. This past summer, I worked at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (previously NREL) on the transportation software team. I also presented at the Neural Information Processing Systems 2025 Conference in the “Tackling Climate Change with Machine Learning” workshop, sharing a personal project for applying a learning model to residential decarbonization.
Stephanie Leon
Atmosphere & Energy
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I’m a sophomore from Bakersfield, CA, pursuing Atmosphere & Energy. Outside academics, I love making time for the gym, long runs, gathering with friends & family, and soaking up the sun. Podcasts, music, and the beach are my favorite forms of self-care!
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My academic and professional interests lie at the intersection of environmental and global health, air pollution, engineering, climate change, and community-engaged work. I am especially interested in assessing disproportionate exposures to environmental hazards in low-income and POC communities. By working closely with these communities, I hope to address the environmental issues most pressing to them, analyze local threats, and create educational materials that highlight available resources and inspire community-led change.
Visiting Scholar
Seokhwan Kim
PhD Scholar, Yonsei University
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Seokhwan Kim is a Ph.D. student at Yonsei University and a visiting researcher at the Osman Lab at Stanford. His work focuses on AI-based safety monitoring for construction sites, with an emphasis on improving safety equity for vulnerable workers. He is also the co-founder and CTO of ONTOH, a startup developing accessible safety technologies for resource-constrained environments.
Lab Alumni
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Krishnam is a Biomedical Engineering and Philosophy student interested in the intersections of engineering, ethics, policy, and machine learning.
He worked with Osman Lab’s Shuojia Fu on understanding how machine learning can identify public-health disparities and how targeted device design can help close those gaps.
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PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Muhebwa was a postdoctoral scholar in the Osman Lab and is currently working at Amazon as an Applied Scientist.
During his PhD, he was a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scholar. His doctoral research focused on using machine learning and satellite imagery to support critical infrastructure measurement and sustainable development. Previously, he spent 3 years in various engineering roles before earning a masters degree from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Ariadna was a SURGE intern at the Osman Lab. She is an Engineering Technology Manufacturing Systems major at San José State University. She is passionate about sustainability and using engineering and technology to solve environmental and social challenges.
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Master's in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Yulitzi was previously an MS student in the Osman Lab and is currently working at NRDC as an intern.
Yulitzi’s work focuses on improving drinking water quality and infrastructure in underserved communities by analyzing residents' interactions with their water systems. By integrating community observations with data-driven methods, she aims to identify spatial and temporal trends in tap water quality, trust, and associated health impacts.
She is passionate about creating sustainable water management solutions for underserved communities and advancing environmental justice. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, upcycling old furniture, and making pottery.
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Master’s in Computer Science
Komei Ryu worked as a part-time research assistant in the Osman Lab. He collaborated with Shuojia Fu on orchestrating AI agents to promote household trust in water quality and on developing novel graph neural network architectures. His research interests lie in machine learning, large language models, and AI agents. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California.
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Summer Intern from Foothill Community College
Laura is a community advocate dedicated to creating and supporting public initiatives that uplift underserved populations. Her passion towards psychology and human behavior have allowed her to better focus on volunteering and help solve critical challenges like food insecurity, and accessibility to public resources.
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PhD in Environment & Resources from Stanford University's Doerr School of Sustainability
Celina is an incoming Assistant Professor of Climate Policy at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, beginning summer 2025.
In her research, she examines U.S. net-zero climate policy with a focus on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and communities in transition. Her work aims to center community needs and experiences in shaping policies that support the development of climate-relevant industries, such as renewable energy and CDR. An interdisciplinary, mixed-methods social scientist and policy specialist, she regularly collaborates with community-based organizations, environmental non-profits, federal and state agencies, and academic institutions.
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Master's in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Kasun was a rotating graduate researcher in the lab, focused on reverse osmosis water infrastructure in Sri Lanka and the integration of community-engaged research on uncovering the main causes of kidney disease surrounding these systems.
Generally, he is curious about both domestic and international water infrastructure issues and seeing what needs to be understood/addressed to have them become more equitable and resilient. He is also interested to know what it takes to tailor new water purification technologies to all kinds of global environments (and discover new sensitivities!).
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Visiting student from Carleton College - Physics
Maeva was part of the Stanford Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, working under the Osman Lab. After the fellowship, she will begin her senior year at Carleton College, where she will receive a B.A. in Physics. Outside of academics, Maeva's interests include working out/running, cooking/baking, watching documentaries, and traveling.
Maeva plans on taking a gap year to conduct research on a topic within one of her main research interests, which are natural resources management and sustainable development. During the gap year,she will also be applying to environmental engineering PhD programs, with the hopes of getting admitted into a program and starting my PhD in the fall of 2026.
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Visiting student from Amherst College - Biochemistry & Interdisciplinary Studies
Daniya is a rising senior double majoring in Biochemistry and Interdisciplinary Studies focused on global development and technology at Amherst College. In her free time, she loves to travel, dance, swim, and read.
Daniya is passionate about integrating community engagement with science to develop solutions that advance global water resilience and equity. Prior to joining the Osman Lab, she conducted research on the sustainability of WASH infrastructure at Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. This academic year, Daniya looks forward to pursuing a senior thesis exploring the intersection between migration and water justice.
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Master's in Civil & Environmental Engineering
I have a strong passion for engineering and a deep love for water. From my early days competing in swimming to my current hobbies in surfing and scuba diving, water has always been a significant part of my life.
With a commitment to equity, my current research consists on a comprehensively analysis of wastewater challenges faced by disadvantaged communities in the United States. The goal in my career is to contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable water future.
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Bachelor's in Human Bio, Emphasis in Public Health, Policy, and Governance
Elizabeth grew up in San Francisco and love spending time exploring California. She is a third-year undergraduate student, studying Human Biology, with a concentration in Public Health, Policy, and Governance, in addition to pursuing a minor in Human Rights. In her free time she enjoys running around campus, hiking, cooking, and cold water plunges.
Elizabeth is interested in researching the various intersections of community health, environmental justice, and migration. She has worked as a research assistant at the King Center on Global Development where she focused on the time cost of household water treatment, as well as at Stanford Health Policy, where she worked on evaluating policies affecting pregnant people at the US-Mexico border. At the Osman Lab, she is excited to be assisting with the East Palo Alto community-based study that focuses on perceptions of tap water quality.
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Bachelor's in Earth Systems, Emphasis in Land Systems
Ruby is a Senior at Stanford studying Earth Systems with a focus in Land Systems . She is very interested in cultivating access to sustainable resources and information.
Ruby has recently been accepted into Stanford’s coterminal program in Civil and Environmental Engineering and will focus her skills on climate adaptation and renewable energy transitions in the coming year. Based on past work with Nuestra Casa, Ruby was eager to join the Tap Trust Study as a research assistant to further her role in Environmental Justice and working to support the communities around her.
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Master's in Environmental Engineering
Long term, I hope to expand awareness and funding towards rural wastewater failure. When I’m not thinking about water justice, I love to compete in triathlons, play pickleball, and listen to live music (Taylor Swift most of all).
My research has focused on water and wastewater infrastructure equity and access. I’m currently analyzing government funding allocation to disadvantaged communities and working towards improving water risk identification in this process.
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Master's in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Laura's professional experience so far involved wearing steel-toe boots, a hard-hat, and being an excel-monkey. She worked in heavy civil infrastructure construction in remote sites. She is passionate about improving and developing our built environment for increased sustainability and equity, with a particular interest in developing economies. Laura grew up in the French Alps where she had a privileged access to all outdoors activities, and spent lots of time skiing, running, & biking – these are still her hobbies today! Laura also likes to practice contemporary dance, read novels, and write poetry!
Laura's research with the Osman Lab focused on the meaning of diversity, equity, and inclusion in architecture, engineering, and construction research. This included the workforce, the aspiring workforce, the impact of design on diversity and equity, and vice-versa, the impact of diversity on design. She is also interested in AI applications in construction and real estate (Proptech/ Contech), leveraging tech to improve the way we build and decarbonize our environment.