Research
Dr. Ashish Nimbarte’s research and teaching interests are in the areas of Ergonomics and Energy Efficiency. He leads the Pollution Prevention program at WVU. His research activities are supported by grants funded by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Alpha Foundation for Mine Safety, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the West Virginia Division of Energy and West Virginia University.
Dr. Nimbarte has published over 80 papers in peer-reviewed journal papers and conference proceedings. His ongoing research activities focus on the following topics:
- Concavity compression mechanism
- Glove evaluation based on Fitts’ Throughput
- Modeling of Surface Electromyography (SEMG) data
- Mindfulness and muscle fatigue
- Energy visualization
- Virtual energy audit
Dr. Nimbarte has exclusive use of the Industrial Ergonomics Lab at West Virginia University. The lab is well equipped with cutting-edge safety and ergonomics research tools. Several funded research projects are currently being conducted by Nimbarte in this facility.
Research Title |
Granting Agency(Funding amount)
|
Period |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Assistance Program to Reduce Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Construction Materials and Products | EPA ($ 2.5 Million) |
Jan 2025 to Jan 2030 |
| REAP Technical Assistance Program | USDA ($150K) |
Jul 2024 to Jun 2027 |
| Rural
energy audit program |
USDA ($135K) |
Mar 2024 to Mar 2026 |
| Improving utilization of REAP through awareness and technical assistance | USDA ($250K) |
Aug 2023 to Aug 2026 |
| Technical Assistance Approach to Environmental Justice in West Virginia | EPA ($800K) |
Feb 2024 to Jan 2026 |
| Source Reduction Training Program | EPA ($70K) |
May 2023 to Apr 2025 |
| Novel and Integrated P2 Approach | EPA ($574K) |
Oct 2022 to Sep 2025 |
| P2 Technical Assistance and Training | EPA ($350K) |
Oct 2022 to Sep 2025 |
| Rural Energy Audit Program | USDA ($127K) |
Apr 2021 - April 2023 |
| Pollution prevention (P2) for metal manufacturing and fabrication facilities in the state of West Virginia | EPA ($434K) |
Oct 2020 – Sep 2022 |
| Developing and deploying a building energy performance benchmarking & transparency initiative in West Virginia | Department of Energy and West Virginia Office of Energy ($127K) |
Feb 2019 – Jan 2022 |
| Appalachian Training Program in Occupational Health and Safety | NIOSH (CDC) ($1.9 Million) |
July 2010 – June 2020 |
| Industrial Assessment Center (IAC): Energy Efficiency, Productivity, Sustainability and Competitiveness Enhancement of SMEs and Training of the Next Generation of Energy and Manufacturing Engineers | Department of Energy ($2.1 Million) |
Sep 2016 – Aug 2021 |
| Pollution prevention through technical assistance and training programs for the food and beverage manufacturing and processing facilities in the state of West Virginia | EPA ($400K) |
Oct 2018 – Sep 2021 |
| West Virginia Agricultural and Rural Small Business Energy Audit Program | USDA ($298K) |
May 2016 – July 2021 |
| Pollution prevention through a structured E3, Economy, Energy, and Environment, approach | EPA ($360K) |
Oct 2016 – Sep 2018 |
| Integrated Surface Mining Safety System | Alpha Foundation ($743K) |
Nov 2013 – Nov 2015 |
| Sustainable Manufacturing through E3: Economy, Energy and Environment Initiative | EPA ($85K) |
Sep 2012 – Aug 2014 |
| Reducing Firefighter Vehicle Crashes: Simulation and Intervention | NIOSH (CDC) ($47K) |
Aug 2014 – May 2015 |
| Best-Practice Guidelines for Occupational Driver Safety at Intersections | NIOSH (CDC) ($49K) |
Sep 2014 – Aug 2018 |
| An Evaluation of School Zone Traffic Control Strategies for West Virginia:Phase II | Mid Atlantic University Transportation Center matched by the West Virginia Department of Highways | Aug 2014 – Dec 2015 |
| Study of Hand Hydration to Understand Mechanism of Glove-Related Injuries | NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium ($44K) |
May 2014 – May 2015 |
| Intersection-traffic-driver Interface Evaluation for Occupational Driver Safety | NIOSH (CDC) |
Nov 2013 – Jan 2014 |
| Lumbosacral (lower back) Disease in Working Dogs | West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Hatch Program | May 2012 – April 2013 |
| Occupational Drivers’ Decision Making and Intersection Safety | NIOSH (CDC) ($34K) |
Aug 2012 – Mar 2013 |
| Biomechanics of Suited Ingress and Egress | NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium ($25K) |
May 2012 – May 2013 |
| Biomechanical Evaluation of Cervical Spine Disorders among the Surgeons using Surgical Loupes and Headlamps | West Virginia University Senate ($14K) |
July 2011 – June 2012 |
| Development of a Biomechanical Modeling Method to Assess Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Loading during Extra-Vehicular Activities | NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium ($25K) |
May 2011 – May 2012 |
| Evaluation of the Cervical Spine Loading during Forceful Arm Exertions | West Virginia University Senate ($14K) |
July 2010 – June 2011 |
| Understanding the Relationship between Ingress, Egress and Reaching Tasks Volumes and Influence of Anthropometric Dimensions on Motions During such Tasks | NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium ($25K) |
May 2010 – May 2011 |
| Quantification of the Cervical Spine Loading among the Surgeons using Surgical Loupes | RPB faculty grant,Department of Ophthalmology,West Virginia University | July 2010 – June 2011 |
| Energy, Environment, and Economics (E3) – West Virginia | WV dept. of Commerce | Mar 2010 – Sep 2012 |