Benju Baniya
College Station
Summary
Forest ecologist with strong expertise in carbon and water flux measurement using eddy covariance systems and chamber methods. Experienced in processing large flux datasets, modeling carbon allocation and forest inventories
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Assistant
Texas A&M University
College Station
08.2021 - Current
- Conducting research on ecosystem carbon dynamics using the eddy covariance system (LI-7200, sonic anemometer and micrometeorological measurements) and chamber measurements (LI-8100) to quantify ecosystem and soil carbon fluxes
- Working as an Ameriflux data manager for three sites, including US-NC2, US-NC4 and US-CRK, responsible for QA/QC and submission of standardized flux data
- Processed and analyzed large multi-year datasets from flux towers and chamber-based measurements using R and MATLAB
- Quantified forest carbon dynamics through comprehensive field studies of tree growth, respiration fluxes and understory vegetation
- Supervised and trained undergraduate researchers in field sampling protocols and laboratory analysis
- Served as an Instructor, Fundamentals of Ecology Laboratory (Spring 2025)
Graduate Assistant
University of Florida/ Jones Center at Ichauway
Gainesville
08.2019 - 08.2021
- Completed master's thesis on longleaf pine ecosystem restoration, integrating soil science, vegetation dynamics, and fire ecology
- Conducted field survey for soil sampling, understory vegetation sampling and prescribed fire measurement
- Prepared stable isotope samples in the lab for soil carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis
- Worked as a teaching assistant in Tree Biology and GIS
Research Officer
Nepal Agroforestry Foundation
03.2019 - 07.2019
- Led silvicultural demonstration programs and forest inventory assessments across private forestry initiatives in Sindhupalchowk and Kavre regions
- Assisted nursery training at Sindhupalchowk and Kavre
- Organized tree-planting programs to support the private forest of Sindhupalchowk and Kavre
Education
PhD - Ecology and Conservation Biology
Texas A & M
College Station, Texas05.2026
MS - Forest Resources and Conservation
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida08.2021
BS - Forestry
Tribhuvan University
Kathmandu, Nepal07.2018
Skills
- Data analysis
- Matlab
- R programming
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Carbon flux measurement
- Eddy covariance data processing
- Ecosystem modeling
- Forest inventory
- Academic research
Awards And Scholarships
- Ann Miller Gonzalez Graduate Research Grant from the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT), 2024
- ECCB Travel grant, 2024
- Graduate Student Research and Presentation Travel Award, Texas A&M, University, 2023
- ECCB Travel grant, 2023
- Ameriflux Fluxcourse scholarship, 2023
- Borlaug International scholar Award, Texas A&M University, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Graduate Assistantship, The Jones Center at Ichauway, 2019
- Graduate Assistant, University of Florida, 2019
- Research grant, Department of Forest, Nepal, 2017
Publications
- Tree mortality provides early warning sign of ecosystem functional transition in coastal freshwater forested wetlands, Aguilos, M., Sun, G., Bulluck, J., Shi, M., Han, X., Carter, C. T., Brannum, K., Middlebrough, B., Watts, J., Webb, J., Whitley, M., Ganjam, M., Liu, N., Baniya, B., Mitra, B., Prajapati, P., Minick, L., McNulty, S., Noormets, A. and King, J. Environmental Research Letters.
- Energy availability and leaf area dominate control of ecosystem evapotranspiration in the southeastern US, Aguilos, M., Sun, G., Liu, N., Zhang, Y., Starr, G., Oishi, A. C., O'Halloran, T. L., Forsythe, J., Wang, J., Zhu, M., Amatya, D., Baniya, B., McNulty, S., Noormets, A., & King, J., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 350, 109986, 2024
- Re-Assembly of the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem: Effects of Groundcover Seeding on Understory Community, Fire Behavior and Soil Properties, Baniya, B., Bigelow, S. W., Sharma, A., Taylor, S., Vogel, J. G., & Brantley, S. T., Forests, 13, 4, 519, 2022
References
- Asko Noormets, PhD, Professor, Texas A&M University, (979) 862-7528, noormets@tamu.edu
- Seth W. Bigelow, PhD, Senior Research Ecologist, Tall Timbers, Florida, sbigelow@talltimbers.org
Timeline
Graduate Assistant
Texas A&M University
08.2021 - Current
Graduate Assistant
University of Florida/ Jones Center at Ichauway
08.2019 - 08.2021
Research Officer
Nepal Agroforestry Foundation
03.2019 - 07.2019
PhD - Ecology and Conservation Biology
Texas A & M
MS - Forest Resources and Conservation
University of Florida
BS - Forestry
Tribhuvan University
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