Abebe Sine Gebregiorgis, Ph.D


Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Oklahoma, Civil Engineering and Environmental Science
Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC)
National Weather Center (NWC)
120 David L. Boren Blvd, Rm. 4638
Norman OK 73072
Email: abesine@ou.edu
Phone: +1 405 325 0505
Fax: +1 405 325 1774

Personal website – http://abesine.wix.com/home

Education

PhD 2013, Tennessee Technological University, USA – Civil and Environmental Engineer

MSc 2004, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia – Hydraulic and Hydropower Engineering

BSc 2002, Arba Minch Water Technology Institute, Ethiopia  -Hydraulic Engineering

Research Topic

NASA’s Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF): Satellite Rainfall Uncertainty Estimation across the Globe for Diverse Hydrologic Applications Using Readily Accessible Geophysical Features (August 2012 – August 2013)

PhD:  Hydrologically-Relevant and Optimal Merging of High Resolution Satellite Precipitation Products to Enhance Macroscale Hydrologic Modeling Application (August 2008 – August 2012)

MSc: Regional Flood Frequency Analysis for Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia (September 2002 – December 2004)

Work experience

Postdoctoral Researcher – University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

​Oct 2014 – present

  • ​Conducting research on the validation of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement/GPM (IMERG).

  • Developing a research framework to bridge the GPM mission core and constellation sensors estimates from Level 2 to Level 3 products

  • Conducting research on remote sensing based Flash Flood Forecasting/FFF system

Research Associate – University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

​Aug 2013 – Sep 2014

  • ​Involved in the development of Pre-SWOT Earth System Data Records for Global Surface Water Storage – Surface water area estimation for global lakes and reservoirs

  • Participated in evaluation of utility of satellite precipitation measurement mission products for hydrologic prediction

Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant – Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, USA

​Aug 2008 – Jul 2013

  • ​Conducted research on remote sensing application for hydrologic modelling

  • Taught undergrad and graduate courses

GSSP/Internship – NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

​Jun 2011 – Aug 2011

  • Setup Merging algorithm for ​High Resolution Satellite Rainfall Product on NASA cluster server

Lecture and Researcher – Arba Minch University, Ethiopa

​Dec 2004 – Aug 2008

  • Teaching undergrad and graduate courses

  • Conducting research and providing consultancy services

Honors, Awards and Fellowships

  • NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Award  (2012 – 2013)
  • Travel grant award from American Geophysical Union (AGU) to participate Chapman conference on Remote Sensing of the Terrestrial Water Cycle, in Kona, Hawaii, USA (February 19 – 23, 2011)
  • NASA Graduate Student Summer Program (GSSP) at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA (Jun 2011 – August 2011)
  • The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Board of Corporate Affiliates (BCA) Award for demonstrating high scholastic performance (March 28, 2009)
  • Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization (EARO) a research grant award (co-investigator) (May 2005 – April 2007)
  • DAAD (German Scholarship), Research Visit Scholarship Award (2004 – 2005)
  • Best Poster Award, TTU Research day (2010, 2011, 2012)

Research Interests

  • Remote sensing application for surface hydrology
  • Hydrological assessment, design and operation of dam and reservoirs
  • River hydraulics, sedimentation and river restoration
  • Flood, drought and Hydrologic risk assessment
  • Land surface and climate change

Publications

17. Gebregiorgis, A. S., P. E. Kirstetter, Y. E. Hong, J. J.  Gourley and  Xianwu Xue (2015), To what extent is IMERG satellite rainfall estimate improved as compared to TMPA-RT ? Journal of Geophysical Research.  (In review)

16.  Gebregiorgis, A. S., S. M. Ayalew, and S.B. Awulachew (2015), Use of Remote Sensing Based Precipitation Data for Flood Frequency Analysis in Data Poor Region: Case of Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, Environmental Remote Sensing for Hydrological Capacity Building and Sustainability – CRC Book (In review)

15.  Guo H., S. Chen, A. Bao, J. Hu, A. S. Gebregiorgis, X. Xue, and X. Zhang (2015), Inter-comparison of High Resolution Satellite Precipitation Products over Central Asia, Remote Sensing. 7(6), 7181-7211. (doi:10.3390/rs70607181). download

14.  Chen S.,  Z. Zhang, A. Behrangi, Y. Hong, J. Hu, A. Bao, A. S. Gebregiorgis, X. Xue  (2015). Hydrologic Evaluation of the Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis over Ganjiang Basin in Humid Southeastern China, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, (doi:10.1109/JSTARS.2015.2483484). download

13. Gebregiorgis, A. S., P. E. Kirstetter, Y. E. Hong, N. J. Carr, J. J.  Gourley and  Y. Zheng (2015), Understanding satellite rainfall error structure from multiple sensors in level-3 TRMM product, Journal of Hydrometeorology.  (In review)

12. Meskele, T., A.S. Gebregiorgis, and M. Gebremichael (2014). Hydrologic Evaluation of Multi-Satellite Precipitation Products over Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia, Hydrological Process (In review)

11. Gebregiorgis, A.S., D. Wampler, B. Nijssen and D. P. Lettenmaier (2014). Remote Sensing based Surface Water Area Estimation for Global Lakes and Reservoirs, J. Geophysical Research (In review)

10. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2013). Making Satellite Precipitation Data Work for the Developing World, IEEE Magazine on Transactions in Geosciences and Remote Sensing, June 2014 Issue, pp., 24-36 (doi: 10.1109/MGRS.2014.2317561). download

9. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2013). How Well Can We Estimate Error Variance of Satellite Precipitation Data across the World? Journal of Geophysical Research (doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2014.11.005). download

8. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2012). Estimation of satellite rainfall error variance using readily available geophysical features. IEEE Transactions on Geosciences and Remote sensing (doi:10.1109/TGRS.2013.2238636). download

7. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2012).  Performance evaluation of merged satellite rainfall products based on spatial and seasonal signatures of hydrologic predictability, Atmospheric Research (dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2013.05.003). download

6. Moges, S.A. and A.S. Gebregiorgis (2012). Climate Vulnerability on the Water Resources Systems and Potential Adaptation Approaches in East Africa: the Case of Ethiopia. Book Chapter in Climate Vulnerability: Understanding and Addressing Threats to Essential Resources – Water Encyclopedia (eds. Hossain and Pielke), Elsevier Sciences (CLIM 00517). download

5. Gebregiorgis, A.S., Y. Tian, C. Peters-Lidard, and F. Hossain (2012).  Tracing Hydrologic Model Simulation Error as a Function of Satellite Rainfall Estimation Bias Components and Land Use and Land Cover Conditions, Water Resource. Research, doi:10.1029/2011WR011643. download

4. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2011). Understanding the Dependency of Satellite Rainfall Uncertainty on Topography and Climate for   Hydrologic   Model Simulation, IEEE Transactions  on Geosciences and  Remote sensing, (doi:10.1109/TGRS.2012.2196282). download

3. Gebregiorgis, A.S., S.A. Moges, and S.B. Awulachew (2012).  Basin Regionalization for the Purpose of Water Resource Development in limited data situation: Case of Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000730). download

2. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2011). How Much Can A Priori Hydrologic Model Predictability Help In Optimal Merging  of  Satellite  Precipitation Products?  Journal  of Hydrometeorology doi:10.1175/JHM-D-10-05023.1). download

1. Gebregiorgis, A.S. and F. Hossain (2011). Hydrological risk assessment of old dams: A case study on Wilson dam of Tennessee River basin,   ASCE   Journal of Hydrologic Engineering  (doi:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000410).   download

Scientific collaborations

• GPM – Global Precipitation Measurement link

• TRMM – Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission link

• FLASH – Flooded Locations and Simulated Hydrographs Project link

• Research Group – link

Professional Societies

• American Meteorological Society (AMS), 2010-present

• American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2009-present

• American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE), 2009-present

• American Water Resource Association (AWRA), 2009-present

Journal referee

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
• Advances in Meteorology
• Atmospheric Research
• Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
• Geophysical Research Letters
• Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres
• Journal of Hydrometeorology

Hydrology
• Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
• Hydrological Processes
• PLOS ONE
• Hydrological Sciences Journal
• Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
• Journal of Hydrology
• Water Resources Research

Remote Sensing

• IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
• IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Contact me

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