The University of Texas at Dallas

M Shahriar Sonet

Doctoral Candidate in Geospatial Information Sciences — researching natural hazards, hydrology, remote sensing, and GeoAI to advance climate resilience and sustainable land-use decisions.

Richardson, Texas, USA [email protected]
Portrait of M Shahriar Sonet
M Shahriar Sonet, Doctoral Candidate at UT Dallas.

About

A geospatial researcher bridging Earth observation and policy.

I am a doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at Dallas, holding an MS in Geography & the Environment from Texas Tech University and a background in Disaster & Human Security Management from Bangladesh University of Professionals.

My work combines geospatial analysis, remote sensing, and machine learning to study natural hazards, land cover dynamics, hydrology, and climate trends. I have served as a Program Officer at the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (a WHO-affiliated initiative on climate, environmental, and mental health projects) and as a Research Consultant at CEGIS, applying GIS/RS techniques for natural-resource management.

I currently teach the Digital Earth (GISC 2307) course at UT Dallas and previously instructed lab courses spanning environmental science, GIS, web-mapping & geovisualization, and spatial databases.

Research Interests

Earth observation for resilience & sustainability.

  • Natural Hazards

    Tropical cyclones, floods, and community vulnerability assessment using change-detection.

  • Land Cover Dynamics

    Urban expansion, LULC change, and land surface temperature in rapidly growing cities.

  • Hydrology

    Spatiotemporal climate trends, precipitation forecasting, and groundwater quality assessment.

  • Remote Sensing

    Sentinel, Landsat, Kompsat imagery; Google Earth Engine workflows at regional scale.

  • Wildfire

    Fire behavior, recovery dynamics, and risk modeling in arid and semi-arid landscapes.

  • GeoAI

    Machine-learning techniques applied to geospatial problems for prediction and pattern discovery.

Education

Academic background.

  1. 2024 – 2029

    PhD in Geospatial Information Sciences

    The University of Texas at Dallas

  2. 2022 – 2024

    MS in Geography & the Environment

    Texas Tech University

  3. 2020 – 2021

    MSS in Disaster & Human Security Management

    Bangladesh University of Professionals

  4. 2016 – 2019

    BSS in Disaster & Human Security Management

    Bangladesh University of Professionals

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications.

  1. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies cover

    Sonet, M. S., & Reygadas, Y. (2025). Unveiling four decades of spatiotemporal climate trends in Texas (1981–2023). Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 60, 102539.

  2. Theoretical and Applied Climatology cover

    Sonet, M. S., Hasan, M. Y., Kafy, A. A., & Shobnom, N. (2025). Spatiotemporal analysis of urban expansion, land use dynamics, and thermal characteristics in a rapidly growing megacity using remote sensing and machine learning techniques. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 156(2), 79.

  3. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction cover

    Sonet, M. S., Hasan, M. Y., Chakma, S., & Al Kafy, A. (2024). Assessing tropical cyclone impacts in coastal Bangladesh: a change detection analysis on cyclone Bulbul using geospatial analysis and remote sensing techniques. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 112, 104726.

  4. Environmental Earth Sciences cover

    Altuwaijri, H. A., …, Sonet, M. S. (2025). Biophysical parameters and land surface temperature dynamics in arid urban environments: A comprehensive machine learning approach. Environmental Earth Sciences, 84, 434.

  5. Science of the Total Environment cover

    Hasan, M. Y., …, Sonet, M. S., et al. (2025). Hydrogeochemical characterization and human health risk assessment for heavy-metal contamination in coastal aquifers: a case study in Satkhira District, Bangladesh. Science of the Total Environment.

  6. Theoretical and Applied Climatology cover

    Sonet, M. S., Hasan, M. Y., & Kafy, A. A. (2025). Machine learning-enhanced precipitation forecasting in arid regions: advancing climate-modelling techniques in Lubbock, Texas. Theoretical & Applied Climatology (Under review).

Conference Presentations

  1. MS Sonet. Forecasting rainfall anomalies in arid landscapes: a machine-learning approach for enhanced environmental management in Lubbock, Texas. AAG Annual Meeting 2024.

  2. MS Sonet, S. Chakma. Impact assessment of community vulnerability in Cyclone Bulbul and analyzing change-detection impacts by geospatial techniques. AAG Annual Meeting 2023.

  3. N. Jahan, MS Sonet, A. Nayan. Natural hazards-triggered early marriage: a case study on Kajipur Upazilla, Sirajganj. Chittagong University Research & Higher Study Society, 2022.

Professional Experience

Roles & responsibilities.

  1. Jan 2026 – Present

    Instructor — Digital Earth (GISC 2307)

    The University of Texas at Dallas

  2. Aug 2024 – Present

    Graduate Teaching Assistant

    Geospatial Information Sciences, UT Dallas

  3. May 2024 – Aug 2024

    Graduate Research Assistant

    Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University — Center for Geospatial Technology

  4. Aug 2022 – May 2024

    Graduate Teaching Assistant

    Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University

  5. Jan 2022 – Jul 2022

    Program Officer

    World Health Organization (WHO) | Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs — Dhaka, Bangladesh

  6. May 2020 – Dec 2021

    Research Consultant — Remote Sensing Division

    Ministry of Water Resources | CEGIS, Bangladesh

Teaching

Courses instructed.

From foundational GIS and environmental science to advanced spatial-database design and web-mapping, my teaching emphasizes hands-on, lab-based learning with industry-standard tools.

UT Dallas

  • Health & Environmental GIS
  • Digital Earth (GISC 2307)
  • Smart & Sustainable Cities

Texas Tech University

  • Global Environmental Science
  • Introduction to GIS
  • Exploring Spatial Database
  • Web Mapping & Geovisualization (WebGIS)

Awards & Fellowships

Recognition.

  • Pioneer Student Research Grant Award — The University of Texas at Dallas, 2025–2026
  • Provost Scholarship — The University of Texas at Dallas, 2024–2029
  • Larry McIver Memorial Scholarship in Geography — Texas Tech University, 2023–2024
  • Department of Geosciences Scholarship — Texas Tech University, 2023–2024
  • Department of Geosciences Fellowship — Texas Tech University, 2022–2023
  • Geography Excellence Scholarship — Texas Tech University, 2022–2023
  • Bangladesh Sweden Trust Fund Travel Grant, 2022–2023
  • Three Dean’s Merit Lists — Bangladesh University of Professionals, 2019–2020

Service

Editorial & review.

Editorial Board

  • Earth Sciences Journal — e-ISSN 2328-5982

Journal Reviewer

  • Elsevier: Journal of Hydrology, Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing, City & Environment Interactions
  • Taylor & Francis: International Journal of Digital Earth, City & Environment Interactions
  • Springer: Theoretical & Applied Climatology, Urban Sustainability, Environmental Monitoring & Assessment, Journal of Coastal Conservation, Discover Sustainability, Discover Cities
  • Wiley: Geo: Geography & Environment, SPG: American Journal of Remote Sensing

Skills

Technical toolkit.

Programming

  • Python
  • Java
  • R

Spatial Analysis

  • ArcGIS Pro
  • QGIS
  • ENVI
  • Google Earth Engine

Data Analysis

  • SPSS
  • STATA
  • Tableau

Languages

  • English — Native
  • Bangla — Native
  • French — Limited Working

Contact

Let’s collaborate.

I welcome conversations on research, teaching, and collaborations in geospatial sciences, natural hazards, hydrology, and GeoAI. The fastest way to reach me is by email.