Biography

Biography

Dr. Sanam Aksha is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida and Joint Faculty in UCF’s Sustainable Coastal Systems initiative. His research lies at the intersection of natural hazards, climate risk, and society, using geospatial analysis, quantitative modeling, and applied risk assessment to understand the physical and social dimensions of hazard impacts.

Dr. Aksha studies community resilience, social vulnerability, and disaster recovery, with particular attention to how hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, and power outages affect places and populations unevenly. His research experience spans the Nepal Himalaya, South Asia, and the United States, giving his work an international and comparative perspective, while his current projects increasingly focus on Florida and the Gulf region.

Dr. Aksha collaborates with federal, state, and local practitioners to improve data, evaluation, and program design for long-term recovery and resilient communities. He teaches data visualization and applied research methods and mentors students in translating evidence into actionable tools for agencies and nonprofits.

Education
  • Ph.D. Geospatial and Environmental Analysis, Virginia Tech, USA
  • M.Sc. Risk and Environmental Hazards, Durham University, UK
  • M.Sc. Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
  • B.Sc. Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Research

Research Interests
  • Natural Hazards and Disasters
  • Community Resilience, Social Vulnerability, and Disaster Recovery
  • Geospatial Risk Assessment and Spatial Modeling
  • Quantitative Social Science and Applied Data Analytics
  • Climate Risk, Energy Resilience, and Public Health

Faculty Cluster Initiative

UCF Coastal: National Center for Integrated Coastal Research

Awards

  • 2026. Next Generation of Hazards & Disasters Researchers Fellowship, NSF.
  • 2019. Preeminent Postdoctoral Research Award, UCF.
  • 2019. AK Chakravarti Award for Best Graduate Student Paper on South Asia, AAG.
  • 2018. Best Graduate Student Paper Award, Asian Geography Specialty Group, AAG.
  • 2017. AB Massey Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, CNRE, Virginia Tech.
  • 2016. Best Poster Award (Second place), OGIS symposium.
  • 2015. Google Earth Engine Scholarship Program, Google.

Courses

  • PAD 6398: Hazard Analysis and Disaster Planning
  • PAD 6716: Information Systems for Public Managers and Planners
  • PAD 4712: Information Systems for Public Managers and Planners