Hongtao Shi | Hydrology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hongtao Shi | Hydrology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Hongtao Shi | Hydrology | Lecturer at China University of mining and technology | China

Dr. Hongtao Shi is a lecturer at the School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) in Xuzhou, China, where he focuses on high-resolution microwave remote sensing of soil moisture, polarimetric SAR scattering modelling, and agricultural-hydrological applications of remote sensing data. He holds a Ph.D. in Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing from Wuhan University, China, where his doctoral research concentrated on multisource SAR and passive microwave methods for soil moisture retrieval; he also undertook joint doctoral training abroad at the University of Alicante, Spain. Prior to his current position, he completed his earlier degrees with an M.Sc. in Surveying Science and Technology from China University of Petroleum (East China) and a B.Sc. in Geographic Information Systems from the same institution. His professional experience includes his appointment at CUMT from mid-2021 onwards in the Environmental & Surveying Institute, during which time he has led and participated in national-level and laboratory-level research grants addressing multi‐angle, multi‐polarization SAR retrieval of soil moisture, high-resolution microwave downscaling, and airborne/spaceborne sensor data integration. His research interests span soil moisture inversion, multisource remote sensing for agriculture and hydrology, SAR polarimetry, passive microwave monitoring, time‐series image analysis, and machine-learning‐enhanced Earth-surface parameter retrieval. He has developed research skills in polarimetric SAR decomposition, multiscale data fusion, processing of microwave and optical remote sensing datasets, Python/Matlab/IDL/C# programming, time‐series modelling of hydrological variables, and uncertainty quantification in soil moisture retrieval. His honours include his role as Guest Editor for a special issue on “Soil Moisture Observation Using Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence” in the journal Remote Sensing, his membership in IEEE and the Chinese Society for Agricultural Meteorology, and his reviewer service for more than ten international journals including RSE, TGRS, JSTARS and Journal of Hydrology.

Academic Profile: ORCID | Scopus

Featured Publications:

Shi, H., Zhao, L., Yang, J., Lopez-Sanchez, J. M., Jinqi, Z., Sun, W., Lei, S., & Li, P. (2021). Soil moisture retrieval over agricultural fields from L-band multi-incidence and multitemporal PolSAR observations using polarimetric decomposition techniques. Remote Sensing of Environment, 261, 112485. (Citation 42)

Lang, F., Zhang, M., Zhao, J., Zheng, N., & Shi, H. (2024). Semantic segmentation for multisource remote sensing images incorporating feature slice reconstruction and attention upsampling.

Lang, F., Zhu, J., Qian, J., Dou, Q., Shi, H., Liao, L., & Zhao, L. (2025). Soil organic carbon estimation and transfer framework in agricultural areas based on spatiotemporal constraint strategy combined with active and passive remote sensing.

Zhao, J., Wang, Z., Sun, W., Yang, J., Shi, H., & Li, P. (2025). DMCF-Net: Dilated multiscale context fusion network for SAR flood detection. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing.

Zhao, J., Zhang, M., Zhou, Z., Wang, Z., Wang, F., Shi, H., & Zheng, N. (2025). CFFormer: A cross-fusion transformer framework for the semantic segmentation of multisource remote sensing images. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

 

Daniel Afrasso | Hydrology | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Daniel Afrasso | Hydrology | Best Researcher Award

Mr. Daniel Afrasso | Hydrology | Researcher at Addis Ababa University | Ethiopia

Mr. Daniel Afrasso is a distinguished researcher specializing in hydro-sedimentology, surface water engineering, and climate change adaptation. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing water resources management through rigorous scientific research, technological integration, and community-based environmental initiatives. His work has significantly contributed to understanding the impacts of climate variability on hydrological processes, enabling the design of sustainable watershed management strategies. His expertise bridges theoretical modeling, empirical field studies, and applied environmental solutions, making him highly respected in both national and international research circles.

Academic Profile:

ORCID

Scopus

Education:

Mr. Daniel Afrasso earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering with a focus on soil and water conservation technologies. He went on to complete his Master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering and Management, gaining expertise in hydrological modeling, climate change impact assessment, and watershed management planning. He is currently pursuing doctoral research in Water Resources Engineering and Management with a specialization in surface water engineering, integrating climate modeling with hydro-sediment monitoring to address pressing water management challenges.

Experience:

Mr. Daniel Afrasso has extensive experience in water conservation, watershed development, and rural technology initiatives. He has served as a technical lead and advisor in integrated watershed development projects, providing training to researchers, field experts, and community practitioners on modern monitoring systems and sustainable water management techniques. His work includes supervising irrigation construction, water harvesting, and spring development programs, as well as leading climate and hydro-sediment monitoring in diverse agroecological zones. In his current role as a researcher at the Water and Land Resources Center of Addis Ababa University, he contributes to large-scale, multi-institutional projects evaluating climate models, assessing extreme weather patterns, and developing guidelines for community-based hydroclimatic monitoring.

Research Interest:

Mr. Daniel Afrasso’s research focuses on climate change impact analysis, hydro-sedimentological processes, integrated watershed management, and sustainable water resource planning. He is particularly interested in applying advanced climate models, such as CMIP6, to predict hydrological responses under varying environmental conditions. His studies aim to improve predictive capabilities for rainfall variability, sediment yield, and runoff patterns, supporting the development of evidence-based conservation measures. By combining field monitoring with computational modeling, his research provides critical insights for policymakers and practitioners working on climate resilience and water security.

Award:

Mr. Daniel Afrasso has been nominated for the Best Researcher Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to climate and hydrological sciences. This nomination highlights his leadership in developing innovative monitoring systems, publishing impactful studies in high-ranking journals, and building capacity for sustainable environmental management. His work aligns with the award’s vision of honoring researchers whose efforts produce measurable benefits for scientific progress and community well-being.

Selected Publications:

  • Evaluation of CMIP6 Models in Reproducing Observed Rainfall over Ethiopia – Published: 2023 – Citations: 15

  • Evaluation of CMIP6 Models in Simulating Seasonal Extreme Precipitation over Ethiopia – Published: 2025 – Citations: 10

  • Spatiotemporal Climate Change Projection and Trend Analysis Using Selected Downscaled CMIP6 Models for Water Action over Awash River Basin, Ethiopia – Published: 2025 – Citations: 8

Conclusion:

Mr. Daniel Afrasso exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding researcher who advances both academic knowledge and real-world solutions in water resource management. His research has provided vital insights into climate model performance, hydro-sediment monitoring systems, and integrated watershed development strategies. Through high-quality research, international collaborations, and mentorship, he has strengthened the scientific community’s capacity to address water-related challenges in the context of climate change. The Best Researcher Award would not only recognize his remarkable achievements but also inspire further innovation in climate-resilient water management.