Ali Mirchi

Dr. Ali Mirchi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University (OSU). He also serves as Associate Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Center, a federally authorized institute under the Water Resources Research Act of 1964 dedicated to supporting informed water management through impactful research, education, and outreach that connects science with communities to address pressing water challenges. Dr. Mirchi teaches courses in various areas of water resources engineering and management. His interdisciplinary water resources research program and outreach efforts have guided water policies and management interventions to support sustainable food, feed, and fiber production amid mounting challenges posed by urbanization, irrigation expansion, fragile ecosystems, and hydrologic intensification. He applies systems thinking, systems analysis techniques, geographic information systems (GIS), simulation, and optimization modeling to advance understanding of coupled human–natural systems at different scales. He has received OSU’s Ferguson College of Agriculture’s James A. Whatley Award for Meritorious Research in Agricultural Sciences, the American Water Resources Association’s Icko Iben Multidisciplinary Communications Award, and the Early Career Award for Applied Research from the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR). Prior to joining OSU, Dr. Mirchi was a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and the Center for Environmental Resource Management at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

Research Interests:

Watershed modeling and systems analysis for water resources planning, management, and decision making

Climate impact assessment and adaptation to extreme events (e.g., droughts and floods)

Coupled human-natural systems and sustainable development

Water quality management and policy