Dr. Ashish Khanal | Lead Research Mentor & CEO

Dr. Ashish Khanal - Top 3% Global Scientist & CEO

Dr. Ashish Khanal

Postdoctoral Scientist | Top 3% Global Researcher

Founder & CEO, GRIT

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Available for Online Webinars, University Guest Lectures, and Conference Keynote Speeches in English, Hindi, and Nepali.

📧 Direct: ashish@centergrit.com | 📧 Other: info@centergrit.com

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Biography

Dr. Ashish Khanal is a globally recognized expert in solid waste management, circular economy, plastic waste management, and sustainable livelihoods, with over a decade of experience working across South Asia and the Global South. He is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Global Research Institute and Training Center (GRIT), Kathmandu, Nepal, where he leads high-impact research, policy advisory, academic publishing, and professional training programs in sustainability and environmental management.


Dr. Khanal holds a Ph.D. in Sustainable Engineering from the TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India, where his doctoral research focused on sustainable livelihood challenges and opportunities among informal waste workers in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, using the internationally recognized Sustainable Livelihood Framework. His work bridges science, policy, and practice, with a strong emphasis on inclusive waste governance, occupational health and safety, and just transitions toward circular economies. He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher under the Global Postdoctoral & Researcher Programme at Lincoln University College, Malaysia, and serves as a Visiting Scholar at Tribhuvan University, Nepal.


An internationally published scholar, Dr. Khanal has authored and co-authored 60+ peer-reviewed research articles, reviews, and policy-oriented papers in leading journals. His research spans municipal solid waste management, plastic circularity, waste-to-energy, climate change, occupational health, informal waste workers, and sustainable urban systems. He is listed among the top 3% of scientists globally in Environmental Science and Engineering by the AD Scientific Index.


Dr. Khanal has worked extensively with multilateral and international development organizations, including the World Bank, UNDP, ILO, UK Aid, ISWA, GRID-Arendal, and Médicins du Monde, providing technical advisory, policy review, feasibility assessments, baseline studies, and capacity-building support. His professional portfolio includes leadership roles in waste-to-energy pre-feasibility studies, plastic-waste and upcycling market assessments, occupational health and safety guidelines, and integrated solid-waste management plans for municipalities across Nepal.


A strong advocate for informal waste worker inclusion, Dr. Khanal’s work emphasizes decent work, gender-responsive workplaces, and social protection within waste systems. He is a Certified International Waste Manager (ISWA) and currently serves as Technical Advisor to the Solid Waste Management Association of Nepal (SWMAN). He also leads the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) Young Professionals Group – Nepal Chapter, contributing to global knowledge exchange and youth leadership in waste management.


Beyond research and consulting, Dr. Khanal is deeply engaged in academic mentoring, research supervision, and professional training. Through GRIT, he has organized and delivered international workshops, webinars, and training programs on research methods, scientific writing, sustainability leadership, waste management, and circular economy practices. He is editor-in-chief for the Journal of Sustainability and Environmental Management and an editorial board member for Discover Sustainability (Springer). He is a reviewer for leading international journals, including Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Environmental Management, Environment, Development and Sustainability, and Circular Economy and Sustainability.


Dr. Khanal’s contributions have been recognized with several prestigious honors, including Sustainability Champion by United People Global (2022) and full scholarships from ISWA and international academic institutions. Known for his ability to translate complex environmental challenges into actionable policy and practice, he continues to shape sustainable waste management systems that are scientifically robust, socially inclusive, and economically viable. Dr. Ashish Khanal is widely regarded as one of Nepal’s leading voices in solid waste management and circular economy research, with a growing global footprint in environmental sustainability, policy innovation, and applied science leadership.

Recent Scholarly Publications (2024–2025)

Dr. Khanal has authored 60+ peer-reviewed articles. Selected recent high-impact works include:

  • Livelihood impacts of job-related illnesses among informal waste workers in Kathmandu. (2025). International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health.
  • A simplified framework for assessing waste prevention and minimisation in developing countries. (2025). Waste Management & Research.
  • Climate change influence on hydropower energy output variability. (2025). Journal of Applied Water Engineering and Research.
  • A review of plastic waste circular actions in seven developing countries to achieve SDGs. (2024). Waste Management & Research.
  • Agroforestry systems in Nepal: Enhancing food security and rural livelihoods. (2024). Food and Energy Security.

Explore the full list of 60+ publications on Google Scholar.

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Global Advisory & Consulting

Providing technical expertise to the world's leading developmental organizations:

World Bank UNDP ILO UK Aid GRID-Arendal ISWA

Editorial Leadership

  • Editor-in-Chief: Journal of Sustainability and Environmental Management (JOSEM).
  • Editorial Board: Discover Sustainability (Springer Nature).
  • Expert Reviewer: Journal of Cleaner Production (Elsevier), Journal of Environmental Management.