Dr Kalpana Pudasaini
Lecturer and Carbon Research Scientist
Dr Pudasaini is a Lecturer at CQUniversity Australia and Managing Director of the Smart Carbon Solutions, an Australian business organisation. Dr Pudasaini is also working with the Carbon Farmers of Australia as a Research Scientist. She has extensive research and professional experience in various carbon standards and methods, project development, GIS and mapping, soil carbon and nutrient management, research and development, and sustainable agricultural development.
Academic Qualifications
- PhD in Environmental Chemistry at the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and the Environment, CQUniversity, Australia
(PhD thesis: Potential role of biochar in improving soil properties and plant growth (graduated – Dec 2014). PhD Thesis was marked as an Outstanding! - MSc in Environmental Science at Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, 2004.
Thesis: Assessing the Community Forest in terms of sustainable forest management using the Forest Stewardship Council Certification Criteria. - BSc in Environmental Science at Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, 2004
Awards
- 2010 – 2014: Postgraduate Research International Scholarship for PhD, CQUniversity, Australia
- 2010 – 2014: CPWS TOP-UP Scholarship for postgraduate research at Centre for Plant Science, Australia
- 2007 – 2008: International Research Scholarship at the University of East Anglia, UK
- 2002 – 2004: United Mission to Nepal Scholarship for MSc Nepal
- 1999 – 2001: University Merit Scholarship for BSc Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Professional Experience
1. Lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and the Environment, CQUniversity, Australia
From Feb 2019 – present
Major role and activities
- Design, prepare, develop courses, and deliver lectures and tutorials face to face on campus and also via online
- Conduct practical classes and experiments, demonstrations and field trips
- Plan, prepare and conduct intensive residential schools and workshop for undergraduate students
- Preparing and marking student assignments, exams, and providing one to one feedback as necessary for undergraduate and postgraduate courses
- Effectively teaching, supervising, supporting and mentoring undergraduate, postgraduate and research honours students
- Establishing collaborative links with other institutions, as well as with industrial, commercial and public organisations
- Attending departmental and faculty meetings with other staff members
- Writing research proposals, papers and other publications
2. Adjunct Research Fellow at the Institute of Future Farming Systems, the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and the Environment, CQUniversity, Australia
From July 2018 – 2019
Major role and activities
- Write proposals and attract external funding on soil and biochar related areas
- Publish papers in the peer-reviewed journals
- Assist professors in preparing lecture notes and presentation on soil nutrient and land management
- Deliver guest lectures on soil chemistry to BSc Environmental and agriculture students and other scientific community programs in CQ region
- Provide mentoring support and supervision to the honour and postgraduate students
3. Technical officer (Quality Assurance) at Parmalat Australia Pty Ltd, Rockhampton, QLD
From Sep 2016 – Dec 2018
Major role and activities
- Perform chemical and bacteriological analysis of inline, finished milk product, and raw milk
- Periodically reviewing laboratory performance against a defined set of measures. Maintain equipment calibration schedules and safety standards
- Provide timely communication of results of all testing and analysis to internal and external customers
- Regular checking of measurement, identify non-confirming products, and implement corrective actions
- Assist in internal and external audits
- Write technical report and submitting to the higher technical committee
4. Research Scientist at CQ Healthy Soils Incorporated and Colloid Soil Health NRM groups, Central Queensland, Australia
From Oct 2015 – Sep 2016
Major role and activities
- Establish research trials for measuring soil organic carbon under the Carbon farming initiative/Emission reduction fund and monitor the research activities,
- Organise soil coring in the cropping, grazing and mining sites to assess soil properties, fertility level and stock of soil organic carbon
- Collect, collate research data and information, and evaluate and analyse data using appropriate statistical package and technologies
- Process satellite image for mapping cropping land and grazing land for measuring and monitoring carbon and soil nutrients
- Coordinate with regional NRM groups, industry partners, research institutions
- Participate in Field Days and give speech particularly on carbon farming, carbon credits, plant biodiversity, farm profitability and other technical supports
- Prepare reports and publish in journals
5. Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and the Environment, School of Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Rockhampton, Australia
From Jan – Sep 2015
Major role and activities
- Conduct laboratory test to determine the chemical composition of coal seam gas (CSG) coproduced water mainly metals, metalloids and organics present in it
- Establish scientific experiments in the field and glasshouse to assess the potential effect of treated CSG water on soil quality and plant growth
- Collect soil and plant samples from the experimental site and determine heavy metals and salt levels content in it
- Analyse data using Uni and multi-variate statstics in Genstat, Sigma plot and SPSS
- Present research findings at academic conferences, grower conferences, workshops and extension events such as field days
- Write report and publish paper in a peer-reviewed journal
- Supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students in related research projects
- Develop research proposal in related areas for external grants and funding support
6. PhD Scholar at the Faculty of Agriculture, Health and the Environment, School of Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Rockhampton, Australia
From Mar 2010 – Dec 2014
Major role and activities
- Characterize biochar using advanced analytical methods
- Perform critical literature review on biochar properties and its potential effect on soil chemical, physical and biological properties and crop growth
- Conduct research trials on soil infiltration, biochar movement, nutrient leaching from soil, crop nutrient uptake and growth,
- Design and setup a number of field trials, glasshouse and laboratory experiments
- Conduct research trials on soil infiltration, biochar movement, nutrient leaching from soil, crop nutrient uptake and growth,
- Performed soil and crops sample analysis of different experiments, such as trace metal, soil cation exchange capacity, soil nutrient composition, chemical structure of soil and other routine analysis)
- Analyze data using appropriate statistical tools, Genstat, SPSS and Sigma Plot
- Present the research outcomes to the national and international conference /workshops
- Publish paper in a peer-reviewed journal
7. Environmental Research Officer at Centre for Enviornment Management, CQUniversity, Rockhampton
From Jul 2008– Mar 2010
Major role and activities
- Collect water samples from field, prepare and carry out laboratory testing of samples for physical, chemical and microbiological parameters
- Perform data analysis using Sigmaplot, GenStat, SPSS, Sigma Plot and other MS software and compare the test results with the given standards
- Investigate the reasons for lapses in water quality and suggest potential solutions
- Prepare research report and present findings in the meetings/seminars
- Coordinate and conduct laboratory demonstration sessions to visitors and scientists from different places on basic and advance experiments
- Organise meetings and workshops in the centre on monthly basis to discuss research outcomes and further research activities
8. GIS Officer (Spatial Data Analyst) at the Royal Borrow of Kingstone upon Thames, London, United Kingdom
From July 2006 – Mar 2008
Major role and activities
- Supported GIS mapping system and data collection, ensured grantee GIS data is uploaded into the PBMS database system, assisted with report generation, performed with as assigned
9. Lecturer at the Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
From Jan 2004 – April 2008
Major role and activities
- Design, develop and implement undergraduate environmental sciences courses, particularly environmental chemistry, fresh water ecology, introductory to chemistry, soil conservation and statstics)
- Prepare and deliver lectures, seminars and practical classes
- Prepare and grade assignments, tests and exams
- Provide advice, mentoring and support to the students on a personal level
- Conduct research on ‘soil and water pollution’ in collaboration with Bagmati integrated watershed management project
- Supervise master and undergraduate research project, case studies and practicals at Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Publications
1. Pudasaini, K., Ashwath, N., Walsh, K. & Bhattarai, T. (2012). Biochar Improves Plant Growth and Reduces Nutrient Leaching in Red Clay Loam and Sandy Loam. Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment, 11(1), 86-90.
2. Pudasaini, K., Walsh, K., Ashwath, N. & Bhattarai, T. (2016) Effects of biochar on Cowpea growth on a loamy sand, as influenced by soil moisture level. Acta Horticulturae 1112, 357-364
3. Pudasaini, K. (2014). Biochar: Potential for improvement of soil properties and plant growth (PhD thesis).
4. Bhattarai, T., Pudasaini, K. & Shrestha, S. (2011) Soil carbon assessment of kafle community forest. Kalpabrikshhaya Nepal, vol 10, page 15-20.
5. Pudasaini, K. 2005. Assessing the Kafle community forest in terms of sustainable forest management (MSc Thesis).
Submitted Manuscripts
1. Pudasaini, K., Walsh, K. & Aschonitis, V.G. (****) Effects of different biochar particle sizes on the physical-hydraulic properties of three different soils. Geoderma under review
Member
Australian Society of Soil Science
International Biochar Initiative
Environmental Professional Association, Nepal
Soil Science Society of Nepal