Dr. Sai Sandeep Chitta is an assistant professor in the Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Department at Michigan Technological University. Sandeep received his MTech and PhD in Geotechnical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (2016) and City University of Hong Kong (2019), respectively. Throughout his academic and professional journey, Sandeep has engaged in a wide array of projects and research topics centered on understanding soil behavior across various scales. This diverse experience has equipped him with a versatile skill set, encompassing the design and execution of bench-scale experiments, image analysis, microstructure characterization, computational modeling, and surface interferometry analysis. These skills have proven invaluable in solving complex problems in sustainable infrastructure, resource recovery, coastal resilience, geo-hazard mitigation, biomimetic geotechnics, and biologically mediated soil improvement. 

Prior to his current role at MTU, Sandeep served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Arkansas and Oregon State University. At OSU, he played an integral part in securing funding for two industry-sponsored projects ($240,000). These initiatives were specifically oriented towards the field-scale calibration of discrete element method (DEM) models, with Sandeep serving as a co-Principal Investigator. Additionally, at OSU, he actively engaged in the development and implementation of innovative biocementation techniques aimed at mitigating wind and water erosion of coastal dunes, a project funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Research Interests: