Chancellor's Award Recipient

Khanal is the graduate recipient, graduating with a doctorate in infrastructure and environmental systems. A recipient of the Joanna R. Baker Memorial Graduate Fellowship, Khanal’s research contributions are matched only by her dedication to teaching. She is a two-time finalist for the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award and has served as a mentor in the classroom and a leader in the Civil and Environmental Engineering lab, earning the title of Outstanding Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2025.

Khanal also founded the Nepalese Student Association, growing the organization from a small group of eight students to nearly 100 members. Under her leadership, she spearheaded Nepal’s first-ever participation in the International Festival’s Parade of Nations. She is also the founder and Secretary of the Graduate Student Organization of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the first of its kind in the department. Khanal’s efforts successfully doubled available conference travel funding, ensuring that her fellow researchers have the resources to present their work on the global stage.