My fascination with the field of evolutionary biology can be traced back to being obsessed with the serialised Malayalam science fiction children’s novel അമ്മുവിന്റെ സ്വന്തം ഡാർവിൻ (Ammu’s Own Darwin). I try to bring the same childlike curiosity to my work that I had when I was first introduced to Darwin’s voyages and theories by a time-travelling Ammu. I am, in general, interested in behavioural diversity and its evolutionary origins. For my Masters, I investigated the dynamics of an alternative reproductive tactic (ART) called baffling found in the cricket species Oecanthus henryi. 

Outside of my academic pursuits, I am a cinephile trying to watch as many good movies from all over the world as I can. I occasionally sketch and write.

Email: n.devanand@niser.ac.in  

Letterboxd: SherringtonHope

Instagram: @sherrington_hope

I have always been interested in human-wildlife conflicts, the interaction between environments and nature, and their precise impacts on local organisms and ecology. I am also intrigued by the complex relationships between local cultures and practices and the environment. For my Masters, I worked on the heritability of acoustic traits in the cricket species Gryllodes sigillatus . This project is part of a larger project examining the evolutionary consequences of anthropogenic noise on acoustic communication.  

Currently, I’m a Darwin Trust PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, where I hope to look at the quantitative genetics of ageing in the Soay sheep System. 

My free time is occupied by music, reading, and the occasional spot of writing. 

Email: S.Sasindran-4@sms.ed.ac.uk 

I’ve always been fascinated by the struggle for survival and the way beings adapt, to persist. My main interest lies in co-evolution, especially how life itself is built on interdependence, and how organisms evolve traits that bind their survival to one another. 

At EEL, I worked on the host–microbiome relationship of the tree cricket Oecanthus henryi, which has their life cycle closely tied with the invasive plant Hyptis suaveolens, which is known for its strong chemical defenses. We explored whether the cricket’s microbiome could play a role in helping it overcome these phytochemical barriers- a project that cleanly tied all of my interests and also laid ground for my later ventures. We may have cool results on the way and I hope you tune into our Research page to know more! 

Currently, I’m a Darwin Trust PhD fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Outside of academia, you’ll probably find me watching movies, happily bed-rotting, reading, or falling down new rabbit holes of strange information.

You can find me at:

LinkedIn:
Email: F.Nazar@sms.ed.ac.uk

I joined Dr. Rittik’s lab driven by a deep curiosity about how human activities shape the world around us and influence the delicate balance of ecosystems. I’ve always been fascinated by the quiet yet intricate ways in which living organisms interact with their environment and how even the smallest disruptions caused by us can ripple through natural systems. 

During my master’s, I explored how female Gryllodes sigillatus, a field cricket species, respond to mating calls of different sound frequencies. My project involved behavioral experiments to find their auditory threshold and understand frequency tuning.

Outside the lab, I love playing volleyball, dancing, and spending time outdoors. I am also a huge fan of mountains.

Email:thejasnm17@gmail.com                                                                                                                                                

Phone: +91 8984018609

I joined the ‘Evolutionary-Ecology Lab’ in August 2024. The ecosphere shared by diverse species has always fascinated me. The child in me is enthralled by the world of insects, raising numerous questions of how’s, what’s, and why’s. As a part of my master’s project, I tried to answer the question of 'What impact various diet regimes have on the model species, Gryllodes sigillatus, and how and why these effects are manifested'. 

I enjoy reading, writing and love to paint. I am Intrigued by both the “bio-world” and the literary world.                                     

Email: anjanakarayi@gmail.com