Karthik Ramaswamy is a research associate at the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE). His research mainly focuses on geospatial analysis, economic modeling of land use, crop-water management, and optimization of irrigation system types in the US. In SAGE, he works with Dr. Tyler Lark to study the economic feasibility of upgrading irrigation systems and alternative crop choices – given the land and water constraints in the US. He also explores the opportunities to produce bioenergy crops where irrigated land is inactive or transitioned to dryland.

Karthik joined the Gibbs Land Use and Environment Lab in August 2023. Before joining Gibbs Lab, Karthik earned his bachelor's in Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering from the CEG, Anna University, India, and an M.S. & Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University (OSU). His research at OSU focused on determining long-term solutions for groundwater decline in the Ogallala Aquifer using crop simulations, MODFLOW, and advanced mathematical programming models. After his Ph.D., Karthik completed his postdoctoral training at California State University, focusing on California’s pesticide regulation and international trade routes for tree nuts.

His leisure activities are playing tennis, learning musical instruments, and spending time outdoors with his family.