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Dr. Reshma Ramesh

Vice Chairperson, Department of Social Sciences, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Qualification: Ph. D.
reshmar@am.amrita.edu
Research Interest: Water Resource Management, Public Health, Community Development, Environmental Sustainability, Policy and Intervention Design, Community Empowerment and Participation, Women’s Empowerment, Policy and Advocacy

Bio

Dr. Reshma Ramesh currently holds the position of Vice Chair in the Department of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding the distinct perspectives and obstacles women encounter in accessing clean water. She specializes in employing technology-driven solutions to bolster community resilience and overall well-being. With a diverse background spanning management and life sciences, Reshma brings extensive experience managing grassroots projects in collaboration with Ammachi Labs and the Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality. Her expertise extends to international collaborations, where she explores the intricate intersection of gender dynamics, technology, and sustainable development within marginalized communities. Leveraging her proficiency in community- based research methods, Reshma works closely with grassroots organisations and local stakeholders to co- develop and implement interventions aimed at enhancing water quality and fostering sustainable practices.

Reshma Raj published in ACS ES&T Water (Q1) on reliable water quality monitoring by women in low-resource communities; multiple contributions to IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference proceedings (2021–2025). Also she co-authored research on coastal livelihoods and conservation frameworks (IEEE GHTC 2025), and machine-learning-assisted community readiness diagnostics for water governance.

Publications

Conference Paper

Year : 2023

Enablers of Rural Women’s Adoption of Water Quality Monitoring Technologies for Ensuring Clean and Safe Drinking Water

Cite this Research Publication : Ramesh, R., Nasliya, N., Mohan, A., & von Lieres, J. S. (2023, October). Enablers of Rural Women’s Adoption of Water Quality Monitoring Technologies for Ensuring Clean and Safe Drinking Water. In 2023 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) (pp. 196-202). IEEE

Publisher : IEEE

Year : 2023

Exploring the Role of Women in Technology Driven Water Quality Monitoring Using a Participatory Approach

Cite this Research Publication : Ramesh, R., Mohan, A., Nasliya, N., & von Lieres, J. S. (2023, October). Exploring the Role of Women in Technology Driven Water Quality Monitoring Using a Participatory Approach. In 2023 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC) (pp. 211- 216). IEEE.

Publisher : IEEE

Journal Article

Year : 2023

An integrated methodology for assessment of drinking-water quality in low-income settings

Cite this Research Publication : Ajith, V., Fishman, R., Yosef, E., Edris, S., Ramesh, R., Suresh, R. A., & Mamane, H. (2023). An integrated methodology for assessment of drinking-water quality in low-income settings. Environmental Development, 46, 100862

Publisher : Environmental Development

Year : 2020

Psychosocial effects of pcos on reproductive-age women; a preliminary exploratory study based in kerala

Cite this Research Publication : Ramesh, R., & Dinesh, S. (2020). Psychosocial Effects of PCOS On Reproductive-Age Women; A Preliminary Exploratory Study Based In Kerala. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 20(Special1), 305-310.

Publisher : Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine

Conference Proceedings

Year : 2021

De-Confining Women! Mental Models Pertaining to Empowerment

Cite this Research Publication : Bonin, S., Ramesh, R., & Mohan, R. (2021, June). De-Confining Women! Mental Models Pertaining to Empowerment. In ICGR 2021 4th International Conference on Gender Research (p. 71). Academic Conferences Inter Ltd.

Publisher : Academic Conferences Inter Ltd

Unknown

Year : 2017

A tribal community-based discussion on economic repercussions of a twin-pit for pour-flush model toilet construction

Cite this Research Publication : Bhadaran, R. S., Haal, K., Mohan, R., & Reshma, R. (2017, December). A tribal community-based discussion on economic repercussions of a twin-pit for pour-flush model toilet construction. In 2017 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10- HTC) (pp. 878-882). IEEE

Publisher : IEEEXplore

Research Interests and areas

Citizen Science & Water Governance
Training rural and coastal women as community water monitors; studying enablers and barriers to safe water practices in low-resource settings using participatory and behavioural change approaches.

Gendered Livelihoods & Blue Economy
Examining women’s participation in aquaculture — especially seaweed farming — as a climate-resilient coastal livelihood. Research explores agency, economic empowerment, ecological stewardship, and barriers to women’s entry and leadership in the blue economy.

Community Sustainable Livelihoods
Designing and evaluating community-based interventions for ecological resilience and income sustainability — including agroforestry, coastal livelihood systems, and vocational skill development for underserved women.

Women’s Empowerment & Implementation Science
Evaluating the processes and outcomes of women-centered development programs; applying systems thinking to understand how empowerment unfolds across social, institutional, and environmental dimensions in rural communities.

Collaborations
  • Tel Aviv University, Israel — Ongoing research partnership on women-led water quality monitoring (Women in Sustaining the Environment Initiative; Joint Clean Water Initiative)
  • Delft University of Technology, Netherlands — Collaboration on water governance and behavioural change frameworks
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