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Senior Air Pollution Associate (Observation) Action area: Air Climate and environmental risks
Suresh Pokhrel works as Senior Associate – Aerosol Measurement Research, overseeing ICIMOD’s efforts to create scientific evidence on the air-quality status of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) by generating air quality data through observatories and measurement field campaigns. He has held this position since January 2024. Suresh joined ICIMOD in October 2016 as an Aerosol Measurement Research Associate.
At ICIMOD, he has made significant contributions to the field of atmospheric science focusing on air quality research. Suresh has been involved in the installation, operation, and maintenance of state-of-the-art ambient air quality monitoring stations in the HKH region, including black carbon-monitoring stations at high altitudes. He has also performed data synthesis and developed various software tools for data analysis. His work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and government reports, and he has presented his research findings at various scientific conferences and workshops. Suresh is dedicated to capacity development and has conducted training programmes on air pollution-monitoring and data analysis methodologies for government officials, university students, and technical personnel in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Before joining ICIMOD, he worked as a System Design Engineer at Real Time Solutions (RTS), Nepal, where he specialised in designing and developing various embedded systems. Earlier, he was an Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Engineering, Thapathali Campus, Tribhuvan University, where he was involved in guiding students in the implementation of engineering knowledge in their project works. Suresh holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from the same campus.
Suresh Pokhrel
How do you protect the pulse of the planet?
As my job is based on the data generation of air quality across the HKH region, it provides the scientific evidence for researchers and policymakers on the quantification of the pollutants that degrade the glaciers and mountain ecosystem. So this ultimately leads towards mitigation and solution strategies for the protection of the pulse of the planet.
What is your favorite part of the work you do at ICIMOD?
The working ambience and the people from various cultural backgrounds.
What are you passionate about?
I am always passionate about learning new techniques and scientific understanding of instrument and data analysis methodologies.
My qualifications
I graduated in electronics and communication engineering from the Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Nepal and have been working in ICIMOD for four years as an Aerosol Measurement Research Associate.
Prior to joining ICIMOD, I had worked as an Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Engineering where I assisted the students with their technical projects and reports. After that, I joined as a system design engineer at Real Time Solution, Pvt. Ltd where I was involved in developing data acquisition systems for various types of instruments that measure different air quality and meteorological parameters.
