‘Grit over gift’: Rupsa Roy is driven to make a difference

As landslide and mudslide disasters become increasingly frequent and harder to predict, communities around the world face mounting threats to infrastructure and safety. Emergency notification systems vary by region, often relying on inconsistent factors to assess risk and alert residents.

Rupsa Roy, a graduate student in civil engineering, is working to change that. Her research aims to define the risk factors that precede these emergencies, laying the groundwork for more reliable early warning systems.

Roy’s interest in geotechnical engineering began early, fostered by nightly dinner-table conversations about soil and rocks. Her curiosity deepened as she pursued her studies and began asking a persistent question: “What can I do to help?”

“As my questions grew, finding answers in research was an organic relationship,” Roy said.

Her current project focuses on landslides and the hydromechanical changes triggered by rainfall. Roy is developing a numerical model that accounts for both mechanical and hydrological shifts; an integrated approach designed to predict landslide risk across diverse environments. Her study used a full factorial method, requiring 200 numerical models to capture all possible combinations of rainfall characteristics, and initial soil and terrain conditions on unsaturated clay slopes.

Roy is collaborating with a research team in Croatia conducting experimental fieldwork, including on-site measurements of soil strength and precipitation, in tandem with her numerical model. Though separated by nearly 5,000 miles, the teams share a common goal: uncovering the predictability capacity and root causes of these disasters. Building on this collaboration, she now serves as the co-principal investigator on a project recently awarded funding by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Youth. The project is led by University of Rijeka Faculty of Civil Engineering and brings together collaborators from Iowa State University, as well as partners from Italy and Slovenia.

“Our collaboration, though isolated to protect the integrity of the model’s accuracy, creates a relationship that benefits the overall field,” Roy said. “When we find answers in how environmental factors and forces interact, it enables the development and advancement of early warning systems.”

Identifying the variables that lead to a landslide is just the first step, but even that can help communities better understand their risks and recognize warning signs.

“The goal of our work is to open the door for the development of early detection tools, either by us or others in the field,” Roy said. “We’re building the foundation for a safer future.”

Mentorship helped Roy find the confidence to succeed

With support from her mentor, Assistant Professor Beena Ajmera, and the community she found at Iowa State, Roy adjusted to life as a graduate student while facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dr. Ajmera never gave up on me,” Roy said. “Even during my hardships, she motivated and encouraged me to make the most of this opportunity.”

Roy’s work has earned recognition from several professional organizations, including the NCMA Education and Research Foundation, the International Association of Foundation Drilling, and the Deep Foundations Institute. She is the inaugural recipient of the SRW Graduate Researcher Scholarship, awarded by the NCMA Education and Research Foundation. Her persistence has opened doors to conferences, collaborations, and deeper research.

“‘Grit over gift’ is something I like to say to myself,” Roy said. “My goals are my own, and I am working hard to make them happen.”