Cryo-Bench: Benchmarking Foundation Models for Cryosphere Applications
Kaushik Saurabh, Maurya Lalit, Tellman Beth (2026). Cryo-Bench: Benchmarking Foundation Models for Cryosphere Applications
CV
Education
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Reseach (AcSIR)-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), India (2023). Ph.D (Earth & Enviromental Sciences) _ CGPA (8.6/10) Specialization: Remote Sensing, Glaciology, Deep Learning and Image Processing. Coursework: Digital Image Processing, Signal Processing, Research Methodology, Advanced Self Study.
Kumaun University, Nainital, India. M.Sc. Remote Sensing & GIS, _ _Coursework: Remote Sensing, GIS, Sptial Mathematics, GPS, Digital Image Proessing, Cartography.
Work experience
- School of Geography, Development & Environment-University of Arizona: June 2024-Present (Postdoctoral Research Associate) NASA Sponsored Flood Inundation Mapping Project
- Performed Flood Inundation Mapping using CNN Models, Vision Transformers, Geo-Foundational Models.
- Performed Data Fusion of Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 using feature based fusion (Transformer and CNN model)
- Wrote Python Piepline to process large-scale satellite data (PS, Sentinel2, and Sentinel 1).
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center-Ohio State University: March 2023-May 2024 (_Postdoctoral Researcher) Surface Ovoid Detection Algorithm
- Managed gloabl scale remote sensing data, performed exploratory data analysis.
- Developed Normalized Difference Depression Index (NDDI) to map surface depressions effeciently.
- Developed python pieplines to process and visualize Sentinel 2 data and ovoid’s results.
- Perfomred SAR data analysis at selected Sites.
- German Remote Sensing Data Center-DLR: Oct 2021-March 2023 (_Guest Scientist)
- Developed Deep-Learning Framework (GLNet) for mapping glacial lakes using multisource remote sesing data and Deep Learning (CNN).
- CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation: Feburary 2018-Oct 2021 (_○ Senior Research Fellow, Junior Research Fellow)
- Developed Deep-Learning Framework (GLNet) for mapping supraglacial debris using multisource remote sesing data
- Generated long-term spatiotemporal glacier velocity using satellite data.
- Time-series analysis of climate data.
- Perfomed glacier mapping using temporal satellite data
- Performed Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Modelling in Western Himalaya
- Punjab Remote Sensing Center: Spet2016-Jan 2018
- Worked on multiple projects (e.g., Land Use Land Cover and Wetland Mapping).
- Pefromed Spatial Data Analysis, Digital Mapping, Field Data Collection and Report writing.
Skills
Programming Languages: Proficient: Python, Familiar: Linux, MATLAB, SQL, Git,
Skills/Tools/IDEs**: Deep Learning (Neural networks), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), TensorFlow, Pytorch, Foundation models, Transformers (ViT), NumPy, Pandas, sci-kit-learn, GDAL, and rasterio, Large Geospatial dataset, Exploratory data analysis, GIS mapping and analysis, Automated feature extraction, Satellite Image Processing (ERDAS, ENVI and Python) SAR data processing (SNAP), High Performance Computing (HPC), Bash Scripting, Time Series Analysis (Python) Spreadsheet software (Excel and Origin), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, Windows, macOS, Linux, ENVI, ERDAS IMAGINE, QGIS, ArcGIS, GMTSAR, ISCE2, SNAP, COSI-Corr , PyCharm, Jupyter Notebook, Google Colab, Report and Research Paper Writing.
Publications
Prithvi-Complimentary Adaptive Fusion Encoder (CAFE): unlocking full-potential for flood inundation mapping
Kaushik Saurabh, Maurya Lalit, Tellman Beth (2026). Prithvi-Complimentary Adaptive Fusion Encoder (CAFE): unlocking full-potential for flood inundation mapping (CV4EO-Workshop)
GLACIA: Instance-Aware Positional Reasoning for Glacial Lake Segmentation via Multimodal Large Language Model
Maurya Lalit, Kaushik Saurabh, Tellman Beth (2026). GLACIA: Instance-Aware Positional Reasoning for Glacial Lake Segmentation via Multimodal Large Language Model WACV (GeoCV-Workshop)
Assessing Geo-Foundational Models for Flood Inundation Mapping: Benchmarking models for Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Planetscope
Kaushik, S., Maurya, L., Tellman, B., Zhang, Z., & Dharpure, J.K. (2025). Assessing the value of Geo-Foundational Models for Flood Inundation Mapping: Benchmarking models for Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Planetscope for end-users. (Under-Review)
Debris covered glacier mapping using newly annotated multisource remote sensing data and geo-foundational model
Kaushik, S.*, Maurya, L., Tellman, E., Zhang, G., & Dharpure, J. K. (2025). Debris covered glacier mapping using newly annotated multisource remote sensing data and geo-foundational model, Science of Remote Sensing https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srs.2025.100319
Declining groundwater storage in the Indus basin revealed using GRACE and GRACE‐FO data
Dharpure, J. K., Howat, I. M., & Kaushik, S. (2025). Declining groundwater storage in the Indus basin revealed using GRACE and GRACE‐FO data. Water Resources Research, 61(2), e2024WR038279.
Combining machine learning algorithms for bridging gaps in GRACE and GRACE Follow-On missions using ERA5-Land reanalysis
Dharpure, J.K., Howat, I.M., & Kaushik, S. (2024). Declining Groundwater Storage in the Indus Basin Revealed Using GRACE and GRACE-FO Data. Water Resources Research.
Automatic extraction of glacial lakes from Landsat imagery using deep learning across the Third Pole
Tang, Q., Zhang, G., Yao, T., Wieland, M., Liu, L., & Kaushik, S. (2024). Automatic extraction of glacial lakes from Landsat imagery using deep learning across the Third Pole. Remote Sensing of Environment.
Increasing risk of glacial lake outburst flood in Sikkim, Eastern Himalaya under climate warming
Kaushik, S.*, Rafiq, M., Dharpure, J., Joshi, P. K., Singh, T., Howat, I., Moortgat, J., & Dietz, A.J. (2024). Glacial Lake outburst flood risk assessment and dam break modeling in Sikkim Himalaya. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment.
Landslide susceptibility assessment at the landscape level using multivariate analysis coupled with statistical algorithms: An insight from India’s Kailash Sacred Landscape, Western Himalaya
Pandey, A., Sarkar, S.M., Palni, S., Parashar, D., Singh, G., Kaushik, S., Chandra, N., Costache, R., Singh, P.A., Mishra, P.A., Almohamad, H., Al-Mutiry, M., & Ghassan, A.H. (2023). Landslide susceptibility assessment at the landscape level using multivariate analysis coupled with statistical algorithms: An insight from India’s Kailash Sacred Landscape, Western Himalaya. Geomatics Natural Hazards and Risk.
Automated mapping of glacial lakes using multisource remote sensing data and deep convolutional neural network
Kaushik, S.*, Singh, T., Joshi, P.K., & Dietz, A.J. (2022). Automated mapping of glacial lakes using multisource remote sensing data and deep convolutional neural network. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation.
Automated delineation of supraglacial debris cover using deep learning and multisource remote sensing data
Kaushik, S.*, Singh, T., Bhardwaj, A., Joshi, P.K., & Dietz, A.J. (2021). Automated delineation of supraglacial debris cover using deep learning and multisource remote sensing data. Remote Sensing.
Long-term spatiotemporal variability in the glacier surface velocity of Eastern Himalayan glaciers, India
Kaushik, S.*, Singh, T., Bhardwaj, A., & Joshi, P.K. (2021). Long-term spatiotemporal variability in the glacier surface velocity of Eastern Himalayan glaciers, India. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Examining the Glacial Lake dynamics in a warming climate and GLOF modelling in parts of Chandra basin, Himachal Pradesh, India
Kaushik, S.*, Rafiq, M., Joshi, P. K., & Singh, T. (2020). Examining the Glacial Lake dynamics in a warming climate and GLOF modelling in parts of Chandra basin, Himachal Pradesh, India. Science of the Total Environment.
Development of glacier mapping in Indian Himalaya: a review of approaches
Kaushik, S.*, Joshi, P. K., & Singh, T. (2019). Development of glacier mapping in Indian Himalaya: a review of approaches. International Journal of Remote Sensing.
Climate change drives glacier retreat in Bhaga basin located in Himachal Pradesh, India
Kaushik, S.*, Dharpure, J.K., Joshi, P.K., Ramanathan, A.L., & Singh, T. (2018). Climate change drives glacier retreat in Bhaga basin located in Himachal Pradesh, India. Geocarto International.
Talks
Talk on Mapping and Analyzing Geological Hydrogen related ‘Fairy Circles’ using AI-Driven Remote Sensing at American Geophysical Union 2024
Conference proceedings talk at American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2024, San Francisco, CA, USA
Talk on Towards automated mapping of glacial features using multisource remote sensing and deep learning
Talk at Byrd Polar and Climate Research Centre, The Ohio State University., Columbus, USA
Teaching
Service and leadership
- Currently signed in to 43 different slack teams