Director

Dr. Nitin Tiwari

Dr. Nitin Tiwari

Assistant Professor · Director, Geo-CARE Lab

  • Sustainable ground improvement
  • Energy geotechnics
  • Computational geotechnics
  • Natural hazard resilience

Dr. Nitin Tiwari is an Assistant Professor of Geotechnical Engineering in the School of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His research focuses on advancing interdisciplinary approaches essential for the future of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Dr. Tiwari develops innovative strategies to enhance soil and ground conditions by leveraging natural substances and engineered composites, optimizing their strengths to boost infrastructure performance while minimizing environmental impacts.

Dr. Tiwari is also working on an AI-driven, twin IoT-enabled framework for continuously monitoring geotechnical infrastructure. This system is designed to advance predictive performance and risk assessment, providing real-time insights and enabling data-driven decisions that support the integrity and longevity of critical infrastructure. His research additionally develops techniques for monitoring and mitigating the effects of natural hazards on geostructures, contributing to a deeper understanding of their impact on geotechnical infrastructure.

Education

  • Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, 2021
  • M.Engg., Structural Engineering, University Institute of Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Bhopal, India, 2017
  • B.Engg., Civil Engineering, Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, Bhopal, India, 2014

Professional Experience

  • Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA (08/2024–present)
  • Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Purdue University, IN, USA (02/2022–08/2024)
  • Institute Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay, India (10/2021–01/2022)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate-I, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Indore, India (05/2021–10/2021)
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, TRUBA Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, Bhopal, India (01/2018–12/2018)

This academic and professional background informs his work on the challenges climate change poses to infrastructure, and on sustainable approaches to geotechnical engineering.

Current Students

  • Subin Rimal

    Subin Rimal

    M.S. student

    • Post-wildfire debris flow
    • Physics-informed neural networks

    Subin is an M.S. student in the Geo-CARE Lab, currently focused on post-wildfire debris flow assessment. His research aims to develop a multiple temporal analysis framework for evaluating debris flow hazards following wildfire events. Additionally, he is working on designing physics-informed neural networks to better understand and model the mechanics of debris flows, integrating advanced machine learning with geotechnical process insights to enhance predictive capability and hazard assessment.

  • Bijay Nepal

    Bijay Nepal

    M.S. student

    • Freeze–thaw damage
    • Cemented soil mechanics

    Bijay is an M.S. student conducting thesis research in the Geo-CARE Lab, focusing on the effects of freezing on cemented soil mechanics. His work aims to understand how freeze–thaw cycles impact soil strength, deformation, and durability by investigating the processes of bond breakage between soil particles during these cycles. This research contributes to advancing resilient geotechnical materials for cold region infrastructure under climate change challenges.

  • Nur Sazzad Hossain

    Nur Sazzad Hossain

    M.S. student

    • Critical minerals
    • Geothermal brines
    • CO₂ sequestration

    Sazzad is an M.S. student in the Geo-CARE Lab, where his research focuses on developing integrated frameworks for the extraction of critical minerals from geothermal brines—advancing efforts that directly support clean energy and resource sustainability. He is also involved in investigating strategies for CO₂ sequestration within geothermal systems to help mitigate emissions and enhance renewable resource utilization, contributing to the lab’s mission of sustainable energy and materials innovation.

Alumni

  • Suvechha Dhakal

    Suvechha Dhakal

    M.S., Summer 2026

    • Biopolymer soil stabilization
    • 3D-printable geomaterials

    Suvechha completed her M.S. thesis research in the Geo-CARE Lab, where she explored the potential of biopolymers to enhance soil properties with the goal of developing soil as a printable material for advanced 3D printing applications. Her work aligned with cutting-edge efforts in Mars mission housing, which is being developed through 3D-printed habitats made from Martian materials and inflatable structures. This research contributes to sustainable construction solutions on Earth and supports visionary extraterrestrial habitat development using local resources.