Keynote Speaker - Ramesh B. Malla, Ph.D.
Ramesh B. Malla, Ph.D., F. ASCE, F. EMI, F. ASNEngr, Professor of Structural Engineering
and Applied Mechanics in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the
University of Connecticut (UConn), Storrs, CT, U.S.A. has more than 38 years of teaching,
research, and industrial experience, including 34 years at UConn. In addition to being a
faculty member at UConn, Prof. Malla worked as a structural engineer at United Engineers &
Constructors, Inc. in Philadelphia, PA; a Visiting Faculty Fellow at the NASA Lewis (now
Glenn) Research Center, Cleveland, OH and a Visiting Faculty at Hamilton Sundstrand
Space Systems International, Inc., Windsor Locks, CT; as the Founding UConn Campus
Director of the NASA/Connecticut Space Grant College Consortium; and the Associate Head
and Graduate Program Director of the CEE Department at UConn. Prof. Malla’s general research areas include
structural mechanics, dynamics & vibrations of structures, finite element modeling and analysis. His research
encompasses structures on earth, in space, and on the Moon. Some of his recent research project topics include:
dynamic and thermal analysis of Lunar structures, percussive planetary drilling mechanism, water processing beds
for space life support Systems, monitoring and sensor systems for civil infrastructures, railroad and highway
bridges, pavement subgrade mechanics, renewable and green energy harvesting systems, and dynamics of
progressive failure of structures. Currently, Prof. Malla also serves as the Institutional Lead (PI) from UConn for
two multi-university, multi-disciplinary research programs, each of 5- year duration, one funded by NASA called
STRI Resilient Extraterrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi) funding level $15M and another funded by the U.S.
DOT Region 1 UTC called Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center (TIDC) with funding level at $14.2M.
His research work has been supported by several federal and state agencies and industry, including NSF; NASA;
U.S. Army; U.S. DOT FRA and FHWA; National Academy of Sciences/TRB Rail Safety and NCHRP IDEA
programs; NASA/CT Space Grant Consortium; New England Transportation Consortium; CT Department of
Transportation; CT Innovation, Inc.; Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.; GM2 Associates;
Bentley Systems, Inc.; and Honeybee Robotics Spacecraft Mechanism Corporation. He has authored/co-authored
more than 160 technical publications and given more than 195 research and educational presentations. He has
edited 7 prestigious ASCE conference proceedings (3 as Editor-in-Chief) and 2 special volumes/books. He has
served as a Guest Editor and on the Editorial Board of the ASCE Journal of Aerospace Engineering, an Associate
Editor for the AIAA J. of Spacecraft and Rockets, and Editorial Board of International Journal of Space
Structures. He has served on 25 ASCE, AIAA, and other technical committees, including as the Chair of several
ASCE Aerospace Division technical committees (currently Chair of the Space Engineering & Construction
committee). He has served as the General and Technical Chair of 3, student paper competition Chair in one, and
Symposium Chair in 6, nationally and internationally prominent ASCE and AIAA conferences. He served General
or Technical Chair for 10 ASNEngr annual conferences. He has served on the organizing/Steering/Technical
Committees of more than 45 conferences and has organized/chaired/co-chaired more than 85 technical sessions at
the national and international conferences.
He is an elected Fellow of ASCE, Associate Fellow of AIAA, elected Fellow of Engineering Mechanics
Institute (EMI), Charter Member of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), and member of ASME, AAM, and
SES. He has also served as the Founding President and is a Fellow of the American Society of Nepalese
Engineers. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards, including ASCE Aerospace Division’s Outstanding
Technical Contribution and Outstanding Professional Service awards, Best Paper/Presentation awards,
NASA/OAI Certificate of Recognition for Research, Official Citation from General Assembly of the State of
Connecticut, and Gold medal and certificate from the King of Nepal.
Born in Chhoprak, Gorkha, Nepal, Prof. Malla attended the local Shree Mandali High School and was placed
in First Division (70 out of 20,000 students) in the Nation-wide School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination in
1971, did Intermediate in Science (I.Sc.) program at Amrit Science College in Kathmandu, received his
Bachelor’s degree (First Division with Distinction) in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology,
Kanpur India (1979); Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (Structural/Geotechnical Engineering) from the
University of Delaware, Newark, DE, U.S.A. (1981); and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Structural Mechanics) from
the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, U.S.A. (1986). More information about Prof. Malla can be found
on website at http://www.engr.uconn.edu/~mallar.
Invited Speaker - Govinda R. Timilsina
Dr. Govinda Timilsina is a Senior Economist at the Development Research Group (Research
Department) of the World Bank, Washington, DC. He has 25 years’ experience across a board
range of development economics (e.g., infrastructure, energy, urban transportation) and
environmental economics, particularly climate change. Prior to joining the World Bank, Dr.
Timilsina was the Senior Research Director at the Canadian Energy Research Institute, Calgary,
Canada. Earlier, he was with the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. In Nepal, he worked
with the Nepal Telecom and Nepal Electricity Authority in the early 90s.
Dr. Timilsina did his bachelor of engineering (electrical) from the Allahabad University (Motilal
Nehru NIT) India and graduate studies (master and doctoral) from the Asian Institute of
Technology, Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Timilsina has worked for all continents in the world. He
has made more than 250 publications including articles in prestigious journals, books, book
chapters, working papers, technical reports. He has made hundreds of presentations in
international conferences and seminars traveling more than 80 countries around the world.
Although he spent most of his career outside Nepal, he is always updated with development
issues in Nepal and contributes to it through every opportunity available to him.
