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Neha Gupta

A headshot of Neha Gupta.

Assistant Research Professor, Arizona Institute for Resilience

Dr. Neha Gupta is an Assistant Research Professor in the University of Arizona’s Arizona Institute for Resilience and an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on water resources in arid and semi-arid regions, with particular emphasis on urban hydrology, groundwater recharge, stormwater capture, watershed health, and climate resilience.

Dr. Gupta works at the intersection of hydrologic science, stakeholder engagement, and applied decision-making to develop collaborative solutions that enhance water security and resilience. She works with researchers across multiple disciplines, spanning fields that include atmospheric sciences, space sciences, social sciences, design, planning, landscape architecture, and creative disciplines to develop and translate research into information that supports water management and adaptation planning. Her research is conducted in partnership with stakeholders and resource managers to ensure that scientific investigations address real-world management needs and support water management across Arizona and the broader Southwest. Prior to joining the University of Arizona, she worked as an environmental consultant specializing in contaminated soil and groundwater investigations and remediation.

BS, Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio State University

MS, Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio State University

PhD, Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona

Neha Gupta
nehagupta@arizona.edu
520-626-4525

      

Current Projects and Efforts

A person holds their hands together while water falls into their palms from above.
  • Arizona Tri-University Recharge and Water Reliability Project
  • HoverTEM: Advancing Space Science Pursuits and Water Resources Management Through Enhanced Subsurface Imaging
  • Net Zero Urban Water
  • Leveraging Extreme Events to Support Groundwater Recharge
  • Sustainability Pathways Intership
  • UA Water Resources Study

 

Previous Projects and Efforts

  • Sonoran Rivers Watershed Soundscape Project
  • Analysis of Stormwater Capture Volumes in Stormwater Parks within Pima County, AZ
  • University of Arizona Climate Action Planning
  • Students for Sustainability
  • USDA Composting and Food Waste Reduction Program
  • Shades of Urban Greening
  • Coupled Natural Humans Systems (CNH) Investigation of Green Infrastructure
  • Lower Santa Cruz River Basin Study
  • City of Tucson Climate Action and Adaptation Planning
  • University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) Program

 

Additional Affiliations:

  • Pima County Regional Flood Control District Advisory Council
  • Cienega Watershed Partnership, Board Member
  • Sonoran Urban Resilience and Green Infrastructure Exchange, previously Low Impact Development Working Group (LIDWG), Coordinating Committee
  • City of Tucson Climate Advisory Council (concluded)

 

Download Dr. Gupta's CV

 

Publications:

  • Gupta, N. Lima, R., Sankey, T., Mroczek, C., Jacobs, K., Lewis, R., Bromley, F., Xu, T., Richter, H., Broxton, P., Korgaonkar, Y., Zalesky, T., Famiglietti, J., Springer, A. Opportunistic Recharge Enhancement in arid and semi-arid regions: An Arizona case study. Groundwater. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.70070
  • Crosson, C., Pincetl, S., Bhushan, R., Scruggs, C., Zuniga-Teran, A., Gupta, N., Porse, E., Sharvelle, S., Boccelli, D. L., Pierce, G., Schuler, A., MacAdam, J., & Piza, H, 2025. Acceptance of a net zero urban water future: Challenges and strategies for a sociotechnical shift of water systems. Frontiers in Water, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2025.1637215
  • Mroczek, C., Springer, A., Gupta, N., Lucas. B. 2025. Regional Base-Flow Index in Arid Landscapes Using Machine Learning and Instrumented Records. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, Vol. 62. 10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102778
  • Zuniga-Teran, A., Gaxiola, I., Kokroko, K., Radonic, L., Hovis, M., Brown, A., Bryson, M., Sandoval, F., Aguilar-Murrieta, C., Rodriguez-Ponce, O., Baldwin, B., Gupta, N., Cortes, I., Barron-Gafford, G. 2025. Beyond native plants: Aligning greening programs with disadvantaged communities’ landscape needs for more equitable green infrastructure planning. Geoforum., Vol. 166. 10.1016/j.geoforum.2025.104393
  • Radonic, L,. Nelson, M., Zuñiga, A., Gupta, N., Kokroro, K., Hovis, M., Meziab, S., Sandoval, F., Aguilar-Murrieta, C. 2025. Learning from Bilingual Engagement Practice to Advance Justice in Climate Resilience Planning. Environmental Justice. https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2024.0076
  • Su, X., Dai, Q., Yao, C., Gupta, N., Korgaonkar, Y., Milczarek, M., Tong, D., Xu, T. 2025. Stormwater Capture as a Pathway to Enhance Groundwater Recharge: A Potential Assessment in Arid to Semi-Arid Urban Landscapes. City and Environment Interactions, Vol. 26, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cacint.2025.100190.
  • Crosson, C., Pincetl, S., Scruggs, C., Gupta, N., Bhushan, R., Sharvelle, S., Porse, E., Achilli, A., Zuniga-Teran, A., Pierce, G., Boccelli, D. L., Gerba, C. P., Morgan, M., Cath, T. Y., Thomson, B., Baule, S., Glass, S., Gold, M., MacAdam, J., … Meixner, T. 2024. Advancing a Net Zero Urban Water Future in the United States Southwest: Governance and Policy Challenges and Future Needs. ACS ES&T Water. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.4c00031
  • Friedrich, H. K., Tellman, B., Sullivan, J. A., Saunders, A., Zuniga-Teran, A. A., Bakkensen, L. A., Cawley, M., Dolk, M., Emberson, R. A., Forrest, S. A., Gupta, N., Gyawali, N., Hall, C. A., Kettner, A. J., Lozano, J. L. S., & Bola, G. B. 2024. Earth Observation to Address Inequities in Post-Flood Recovery. Earth’s Future, 12(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EF003606
  • Gupta, N., Bearup, L.; Jacobs, K.; Halper, E.; Castro, C.; Chang, H.-I.; Fonseca, J. 2023. Stakeholder-Informed Hydroclimate Scenario Modeling in the Lower Santa Cruz River Basin for Water Resource Management. Water, 15, 1884. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101884
  • Gerlak, A., Baldwin, B., Zuniga-Teran, A., Colella, T., Elder, A.,  Bryson, M., Gupta, N., Yang, B., Doyle, T., Heflin, S., MacAdam, J., Hanshaw, K., McCoy, A., Wilson, J.K. 2022. A Collaborative Effort to Address Maintenance of Green Infrastructure through a University-Community Partnership. Socio-Ecological Practice Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-022-00127-5
  • Meixner, T., Berkowitz, A.R., Downey, A.E., Pillich, J., LeVea, R., Smith, B.K., Chandler, M., Gupta, N., Rullman, S., Woodroof, A. and Cherrier, J., 2021. Rapid Assessment and Long-Term Monitoring of Green Stormwater Infrastructure with Citizen Scientists. Sustainability,  Vol. 13, issue 22, p. 12520.
  • Gerlak, A.K., Elder, A., Thomure, T., Shipek, C., Zuniga-Teran, A., Pavao-Zuckerman, M., Gupta, N., Matsler, M., Berger, L., Henry, A.D. and Yang, B., 2021. Green Infrastructure: Lessons in Governance and Collaboration From Tucson. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, Vol 63, issue 3, pp.15-24.
  • Ibsen, P.C., Borowy, D., Dell, T., Greydanus, H., Gupta, N., Hondula, D.M., Meixner, T., Santelmann, M.V., Shiflett, S.A., Sukop, M.C. and Swan, C.M., 2021. Greater aridity increases the magnitude of urban nighttime vegetation-derived air cooling. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 16 issue 3, p. 34011.
  • Lee, E.S. and Gupta, N., 2014. Development and characterization of colloidal silica-based slow- release permanganate gel (SRP-G): Laboratory investigations. Chemosphere, Vol. 109, p. 195-201.

  • Lee, E.S., Olson, P.R., Gupta, N., Solpuker, U., Schwartz, F.W., and Kim, Y., 2013. Permanganate gel (PG) for groundwater remediation: Compatibility, gelation, and release characteristics. Chemosphere, Vol. 97, p. 140-145.