Research

Dr. Muthukrishnan's research examines human-landscape interactions through geospatial science, asking how human transformation of natural landscapes alters river processes and how those changes affect communities. Active research areas include:

• Fluvial geomorphology and hydrology: Long-term impacts of urbanization on stream channels, runoff dynamics, water quality, and watershed processes in the South Carolina Piedmont and Blue Ridge.
• Remote sensing and land cover change: Multi-decadal Google Earth Engine analyses of vegetation loss, woody plant encroachment (Kruger National Park, SANBI-funded), land surface temperature, evapotranspiration, and urban heat islands. Post-hurricane and post-wildfire landscape change detection.
• Natural hazards: Landslide hazard modeling and inventory using GIS and LiDAR, landslide-climate-urbanization interactions, and remote sensing of disaster aftermath in the Southern Appalachians.
• Drone and geospatial applications for development: UAV-based approaches for disease surveillance, agricultural productivity, community asset mapping, and capacity building in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, anchored by the UNICEF African Drone and Data Academy.
• Geoarchaeology and spatial humanities: Collaborative projects applying drone mapping and remote sensing to archaeological landscape reconstruction, including work with the University of Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Dr. Muthukrishnan has served as PI or Co-PI on over $5 million in external funding, including a $3.556 million UNICEF grant for ADDA, multiple EPA watershed grants, NSF-REU support, LUCE Foundation initiatives, and the SANBI-funded Kruger National Park remote sensing project. He mentors undergraduate students and conducts research with them as co-investigators, with every one of them presenting their research outcomes at regional or national conferences as main authors.

Most recent student projects:

Aaron Kearns: Inventorying Historic Landslides using GIS and LiDAR based approaches for Greenville County, SC
Sarah Grace Payne: Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability Analysis for Greenville, SC
Jacob Milchuk: Assessing the Economic Benefits of Urban Greenways and Green Spaces in Greenville, SC using a Hedonic Pricing Model
Adeline Li: Assessing Solar Potential for Greenville County Using LiDAR and GIS Based Modeling
Tyler Peoples: Developing a Web-Based Community Asset Map for Greenville County, SC
Kathryn Clark: Development of Spatial Data Infrastructure for Asset Mapping, Management, and Analysis of Furman’s Facilities and Services
Laura McComb: An Analysis of Furman's Recruitment and Retention using GIS
Katie Caulfield: Modeling Landslide Hazards and their Potential Impacts on the Local Communities
Trent McCann: Demographic and Spatial Analysis of Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Trail Users and Usage from 2010-13
Stephen Campbell: Geologic and geomorphic controls on insipient channel development and drainage pattern evolution.
Elizabeth Johnston: Landslide hazards zonation along Blue Ridge Escarpment in the Upstate of South Carolina using GIS based modeling
Tori Hedden: Urban Sprawl in Greenville and its Hydrologic Impacts, South Carolina
Luke Howerter: Geomorphology and GIS based study of the effects of developments on urban streams

Peer-Reviewed Publications
*Denotes undergraduate student coauthor

• Kochersberger, K., Muthukrishnan, S., Mkuwu, N., Chisenga, C., and Scheibenreif, M. (2026). The African Drone and Data Academy: Malawi's Talent Pipeline. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Drones and Unmanned Systems (DAUS' 2026), pp. 179-184. Salzburg, Austria. https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34344.84484
• Kalonde, P.K., Tsoka, O., Chiepa, B., et al. (2025). Mapping and quantifying travel time to define health facility catchment areas in Blantyre city in Malawi. Nature Communications Medicine 5, 227. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00845-3
• Habron, G., Muthukrishnan, S., and Timbes, A. (2024). Welcome to Greenville, South Carolina: Urban Geography of Place. Southeastern Geographer, 64(3):275-284. https://doi.org/10.1353/sgo.2024.a934967
• *Johnston, E.C., Davenport, F.V., Wang, L., Caers, J.K., Muthukrishnan, S., Burke, M., and Diffenbaugh, N.S. (2021). Quantifying the effect of precipitation on landslide hazard in urbanized and non-urbanized areas. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL094038. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL094038
• Holm, R.H., Hall, R.P., Muthukrishnan, S., *Munthali, T., and *Sinda, M. (2021). Promoting multiple-use water services by leveraging existing rural water supply and smallholder farmer groups, Malawi. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(2):321-338.
• (Accepted). Ranson, W. A., and Muthukrishnan, S., Geology and Geomorphology of the Jones Gap Debris Slide, Jones Gap State Park, Greenville County, South Carolina, South Carolina Geology Journal.
• 2019. *Kaponda, P., Muthukrishnan, S., Barber, R., Holm, R. H., Drinking water quality and human dimensions of cholera patients to inform evidence-based prevention investment in Karonga district, Malawi, International Journal of Water Supply, Vol. 19 (7): 2079-2087. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2019.086.
• 2018. *Bailey, B., Dripps, W., and Muthukrishnan, S., Spatial analysis of hydrological productivity in fractured bedrock terrains of the Piedmont of northwestern South Carolina, Journal of South Carolina Water Resources, Vol. 5(1), Pages 25–33.
• 2015. Lewis, P.G., Andersen, C.B., Moloney*, T. P. , Muthukrishnan, S., Relationship between Dry Deposition of Ions and Urban Land Cover in the South Carolina Piedmont, Journal of Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 226:266, Springer Publication.
• 2015. Muthukrishnan, S., Prioritization for Targeted Watershed Improvement, In ESRI Map Book, Vol. 30 (p18), 160 pages. ISBN: 9781589484252, ESRI Press.
• 2012. *Price, A. E., Reed, J. A., & Mutukrishnan, S. Trail user demographics, physical activity behaviors, and perceptions of a newly constructed greenway trail. Journal of Community Health, 37(6), 1264-1268.
• 2011. Julian A. Reed, Steven P. Hooker, Suresh Muthukrishnan, and Brent Hutto, User Demographics and Physical Activity Behaviors on a Newly Constructed Urban Rail/Trail Conversion, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Vol. 8, pp. 534-542
• 2008. Reed. J. A., Malvern, L., Muthukrishnan, S., Hardy, R., & King, L., An ecological approach with primary-care counseling to promote physical activity, Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2008 (5), p. 169 – 183.
• 2007. Muthukrishnan, S., Lewis, G.P., and Andersen, C.B., Relationships between land cover, vegetation density, and nitrate concentrations in streams of the Enoree River basin, piedmont region of South Carolina, USA (Chapter 24), in, D. Sarkar, R. Datta, and R. Hannigan (eds.), Concepts and Applications in Environmental Geochemistry , Elsevier Press, New York, p. 517-542.
• 2007. Muthukrishnan, S., Geology:Long-Term Hydrologic Impacts of Land Use Change (Chapter 15), in, Diana Stuart Sinton and Jennifer J. Lund (eds.), Understanding Place: GIS and Mapping Across the Curriculum, ESRI Press, Redlands, CA, p. 212-222.
• 2007. Reed. J. A., Malvern, L., Muthukrishnan, S., Hardy, R., & King, L, A descriptive examination of a novel approach to primary care counseling for physical activity in a community health center in upstate South Carolina. The EJournal of the South Carolina Medical Association, 103(March) , 40-43.
• 2007. Reed. J. A., Malvern, L., Muthukrishnan, S., Hardy, R., & King, L. An ecological approach combined with primary care counseling to promote physical activity. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39(5) Supplement: S80-S81, May 2007.
• 2006. Muthukrishnan, S., J. Harbor, K. J. Lim, and B. A. Engel, Calibration of a simple rainfall-runoff model for long-term hydrological impact evaluation, Journal of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA), 18(2):33-40.

Presentations
*Denotes undergraduate student coauthor

• Kochersberger, K., Muthukrishnan, S., et al. (2026). The African Drone and Data Academy: Malawi's Talent Pipeline. 2nd International Conference on Drones and Unmanned Systems (DAUS' 2026), Salzburg, Austria.
• Muthukrishnan, S. (2026). Remote Sensing of Vegetation Loss and Landslide Occurrences Following Hurricane Helene and the Table Rock Fire in the Southern Appalachians. 11th IAG International Conference on Geomorphology (ICG 2026), Christchurch, New Zealand.
• *Colgan, C., Muthukrishnan, S., and Palladino, C. (2025). Tracking the Ten Thousand: A Geospatial Analysis of an Ancient Anabasis. 80th Annual SEDAAG Meeting, Lexington, KY.
• *Johnson, W., *Soukhamneut, M., *Smith, O., *La, L., Muthukrishnan, S., Liao, M., and Lewis, G. (2025). Abundance of Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Genetic Diversity of E. coli in Streams Draining Residential Areas. 86th Annual Meeting, Association of Southeastern Biologists, Myrtle Beach, SC.
• *Henley, N. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2024). Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Roadway Incidents and Fatalities in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties,  SC. 79th Annual SEDAAG Meeting, Greenville, SC.
• *Cribbs, L. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2023). An Analysis of Biking and Pedestrian Safety in Greenville, SC. 78th SEDAAG Meeting, Norfolk, VA.
• *Ogburn, R. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2023). Assessing the Urban Heat Island Effect in Greenville, SC Using Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Measurements. 78th SEDAAG Meeting, Norfolk, VA.
• *Hasse, M. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2023). Desert Locust Habitat Predictive Modeling under Future Climate Scenarios. 78th SEDAAG Meeting, Norfolk, VA.
• *Boota, Z. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2023). A Decade of Urban Growth and Canopy Loss in the Upper Reedy River Watershed, Greenville County. 78th SEDAAG Meeting, Norfolk, VA.
• *Buehner, J. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2022). A GIS-based Automated Mapping of Greenville's Heritage Trees and Potential Applications. 77th SEDAAG Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
• *Freeland, A. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2021). Application of UAVs in Pasture Management: A Case Study from Greenbrier Farm. AAG Annual Meeting (Virtual).
• *Meade, S. and Muthukrishnan, S. (2021). Spatial Analysis of Urban Heat Island Effect and its Impacts on Local Demography. AAG Annual Meeting (Virtual).
• *Johnston, E.C., Burke, M., Caers, J., Davenport, F., Wang, L., Muthukrishnan, S., and Diffenbaugh, N.S. (2020). Impact of urbanization on the relationship between antecedent precipitation and landslides. AGU Annual Meeting (Virtual).
• 2019. Johnston, E. C., Burke, M., Caers, J., Davenport, F., Wang, L., Muthukrishnan, S., Diffenbaugh, N. S., The combined influence of antecedent rainfall and urbanization on landslides: an empirical approach based on data for the Pacific Coast of the United States, Annual Meeting, American Geophysical Union, 9-13 December, 2019, San Francisco, CA.
• 2019. Muthukrishnan, S., Geological and geomorphic manifestations of the East African Rift in Malawi and its present-day implications, Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 51 (5), September 22-25, 2019, Phoenix, AZ.
• 2019. Muthukrishnan, S., *Kamba, M., *Kaponda, P., Holm, R. H., Tembo, M., Barber, R. Cholera in Malawi: Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Occurrence and Prevention Strategies, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 3 - 7, 2019 (64), Washington, D. C.
• 2018. Johnston, E. C., Caers, J., Wang, L., Davenport, F., Muthukrishnan, S., Diffenbaugh, N. S., Multi-scale signatures of climate change on landslide susceptibility: a case study for the Pacific Coast of the United States, Annual Meeting, American Geophysical Union, 10-14 Dec. 2018, Washington, D.C.
• 2018. *Kamba, M., *Kaponda, P., Holm, R. H., Tembo, M., Barber, R., Muthukrishnan, S., Surveillance of Cholera Outbreak in Karonga District, Malawi Using ArcGIS Online, ESRI Canada User Conference, October 23-24, 2018, Fredericton, CA.
  2017. *Palumbo, R., Muthukrishnan, S., Landscape of Annexation: Winners and Losers, Annual ESRI User Conference, July 9-13, 2017, San Diego, California.
• 2017. *Li, A., and Muthukrishnan, S., Assessing Solar Energy Potential for Existing Buildings in Greenville County, South Carolina, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 5 - 9, 2017 (62), Boston, MA.
• 2017. *Milchuck, J., and Muthukrishnan, S., Do Green Spaces Increase Property Values? A Case Study from Greenville, South Carolina (USA), Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 5 - 9, 2017 (62), Boston, MA.
• 2017. Muthukrishnan, S., Winiski, M., and Donald, J., Cross-Institutional Collaboration to Develop GIS Curricular and Knowledge Pathways for Effective and Efficient Blended Learning Delivery, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 5 - 9, 2017 (62), Boston, MA.
• 2016. Muthukrishnan, S., and Winiski, M., Drone Technology for Low-Cost Precision Mapping on Campus and in the Community, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, March 29-April 2, 2016 (61), San Francisco, CA.
• 2016. Winiski, M., Muthukrishnan, S., *Peoples, T., Hipp, C. S., Snow, J. Z., and Baker, R., Developing a Web-Based Community Asset Map, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, March 29-April 2, 2016 (61), San Francisco, CA.
• 2016. *Mackey, J., and Muthukrishnan, S., Mapping Solar PV Potential for Furman University Using LiDAR and GIS, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, March 29-April 2, 2016 (61), San Francisco, CA.
• 2016. *Clark, K., and Muthukrishnan, S., Development and Application of a WebGIS based Facilities Management and Decision Support System, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, March 29-April 2, 2016 (61), San Francisco, CA.
• 2015. Suresh Muthukrishnan, Quinn, J., Dripps, W., and Cozad, M., Tree Mapping and Ecosystem Services Calculation using Collector for ArcGIS: A Crowdsourcing Model. Annual ESRI User Conference, July 20-24, 2015, San Diego, California.
• 2015. *Keesee, J., Muthukrishnan, S., and Winiski, M., Feasibility of establishing an agricultural greenbelt around Greenville, South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 21-25, 2015 (60), Chicago, Illinois.
• 2015. *Caulfield, K., Muthukrishnan, S., GIS Based Modeling of Landslide Hazards and their Potential Impacts on the Local Communities in the Upstate of South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 21-25, 2015 (60), Chicago, Illinois.
• 2015. *McComb, L, Muthukrishnan, S., and Winiski, M., Future proofing recruitment strategies for Colleges and Universities using a GIS based approach. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 21-25, 2015 (60), Chicago, Illinois.
• 2015. *McCabe, W, Muthukrishnan, S., and Powers, A., Mapping "Food Deserts" in Greenville County. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 21-25, 2015 (60), Chicago, Illinois.
• 2014. Suresh Muthukrishnan, Watershed Prioritization for Targeted Watershed Improvement, Upper Reedy River Watershed, Greenville, South Carolina. Annual ESRI User Conference, July 14-18, 2014, San Diego, California.
• 2014. *McCann, T., Muthukrishnan, S., and Reed, J., User demographics and patterns of use of the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville, South Carolina. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers, April 8-12, 2014 (59), Tampa, Florida.
• 2013. Ranson, W. R., Muthukrishnan, S., Johnston, E., Campbell, S., and Geier, P., Ongoing Research on Slope Stability in Upstate South Carolina: Field Observations, Lineament Studies, and Landslide Modeling. Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. October 27–30, 2013 Vol. 45, No. 7, p.154, Denver, Colorado.
• 2013. *Bailey, B J., Dripps, W. R., and Muthukrishnan, S., Spatial analysis of well yields in fractured bedrock terrains of the piedmont of northwestern South Carolina, 62nd Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of Geological Society of America, 20-21 March 2013, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 2.
• 2013. *Campbell, S.., and Muthukrishnan, S., A study of drainage pattern evolution using automatically extracted lineaments in Cleveland Quadrangle, South Carolina, 62nd Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of Geological Society of America, 20-21 March 2013, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 2.
• 2013. *Johnston, E., Muthukrishnan, S., Landslide hazard zonation in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area using GIS-based modeling, , 62nd Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of Geological Society of America, 20-21 March 2013, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 2.
• 2012. *Kelliher, Caitlin, and Muthukrishnan, S., Analysis of Land Cover Changes and their Hydrologic Impacts from 1974 to 1990 in Greenville County, South Carolina, 61st Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of Geological Society of America, Asheville, NC, 1-2 April 2012.
• 2012. *Wynn, Luke A., and Muthukrishnan, S., Effectiveness of LiDAR for Rapid Channel Geomorphic Assessment, 61st Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Section of Geological Society of America, Asheville, NC, 1-2 April 2012.
• 2010. Muthukrishnan, S., and Davis, A., GIS and Sustainability: Project based introductory GIS course curriculum, POS3340, Annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 10 - 12, October 2010, Denver, CO.
• 2010. Muthukrishnan, S., Andersen, C. B., and Garihan, J. M., Linking Geology and Sustainability in Iceland, POS3216, Annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 10 - 12, October 2010, Denver, CO.
• 2010. Andersen, B., Vulava, V., Callahan, T., Dripps, W., Muthukrishnan, S., Shelley, D., and Thom, T., Geochemical constraints on floodplain groundwater source, flow paths, and surface water mixing at Congaree National Park, South Carolina, Northeastern Section (45th Annual) and Southeastern Section (59th Annual) Joint Meeting (13-16 March 2010), Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 144
• 2010. *Fowler, G, *Coffey, R., Andersen, B, Muthukrishnan, S., and Lewis, G., Geomorphic controls over nitrate concentrations in urban headwater streams of the South Carolina piedmont, Northeastern Section (45th Annual) and Southeastern Section (59th Annual) Joint Meeting (13-16 March 2010), Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 69
• 2010. *Howerter, L., *Coffey, R., Muthukrishnan, S., Andersen, B, and Lewis, G., Geomorphic variability in urban and rural streams in the piedmont region of South Carolina, Northeastern Section (45th Annual) and Southeastern Section (59th Annual) Joint Meeting (13-16 March 2010), Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 69
• 2009. *Fowler, G., and Muthukrishnan, S., Geomorphology of streams in urban golf courses in the South Carolina piedmont region, 58th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 41, March 12-13, St. Petersburg, FL
• 2008. *Cruz, A., Haney D. C., and Muthukrishnan, S., Relationships between urban land cover, fish assemblage structure, and channel geomorphology in the Enoree River basin, South Carolina, The Association of Southeastern Biologists, v. 55
• 2008. Lewis, G. P., Dripps, W. R., Andersen, C. B., Haney, D.C., Muthukrishnan, S., and Liao, M.-K., The Furman University River Basins Research Initiative: a multidisciplinary examination of urban influences on piedmont streams, South Carolina Water Resources Conference, October 14-15, North Charleston, SC
• 2008. Anderson, C., and Muthukrishnan, S., A study of hydrological impacts of land cover change using NLCD - effect of study area scale on the magnitude of impacts, Annual meeting of the Southeastern Geological Society of America, March 11-12, Charlotte, NC
• 2008. Taysom, B., and Muthukrishnan, S., Analysis of watershed imperviousness and its relationship to stream geomorphology, Annual meeting of the Southeastern Geological Society of America, March 11-12, Charlotte, NC​

Additional Professional Activities

Teaching
Courses taught: Environmental Science; Earth Systems; Natural Hazards and Disasters; Geomorphology; Geographic Information Systems (GIS); Applied GIS Project Design; Remote Sensing of the Environment; Climate System; Land Use and Climate Change.
Study Away: Co-directed semester-abroad program in India; May Experience programs in Iceland (2010, 2012, 2016, 2023) and Tanzania (2013); co-directed programs in the Central Rockies, Southwestern United States, and Grand Canyon region.

Leadership and Service

• Co-creator, GIS Curriculum Lead, and Lead Instructor, African Drone and Data Academy powered by UNICEF (2019-present)
• Director, GIS and Remote Sensing Center, Furman University (2002-present)
• Department Chair, Earth, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences, Furman University (2018-2024)
• Local Organizing Committee Chair, 79th Annual SEDAAG Meeting, Greenville, SC, November 2024
• Elected Councilor, Geosciences Division, Council on Undergraduate Research (2016-2022)
• Chair, Study Away Committee, Furman University (2013-2014)

Professional Memberships

• Member, Fulbright Alumni Association
• Member, Association of American Geographers (AAG), Southeastern Division
• Member, Geological Society of America (GSA), Southeastern Division
• Member, Carolina Geological Society (CGS)
• Member, Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
• Sustainability Affiliate Faculty, Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities, Furman University

Selected Invited Talks and Workshops (2022-2026)

• 2026 - "Drones, Data, and Decisions: Demystifying AI in Remote Sensing," Benedict College International Multidisciplinary Conference, Columbia, SC
• 2026 - "Spatial Thinking as a Universal Competency," University of Mpumalanga, South Africa
• 2026 - "Eyes from Above: Unlocking Ancient Civilizations with Geospatial Technologies," SAASS Workshop Series, University of Mpumalanga, South Africa
• 2025 - "Building Resilient Communities Through Geospatial and Drone Ecosystems," Fulbright Association of SC, Benedict College, Columbia, SC
• 2025 - "Geospatial Science for a Sustainable Future," University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• 2023 - Invited Panelist, "Advancing Agriculture and the Rural World through AI," Smart Villages Innovation Forum (FIVI), Niamey, Niger Republic
• 2022 - "Drones and Data for Innovation in Community Development," Indian Society of Remote Sensing and Indian Society of Geomatics

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