Saumitra Dhere

Saumitra holds a Master’s degree in Ecology from Pondicherry University and is broadly interested in how environmental variation shapes behaviour and physiology in ectotherms. His current research examines behavioural and physiological adaptation of the Kashmir rock agama across environmental gradients in the Western Himalayas. He recently received the prestigious SICB grant to work on this project. He has previously worked on thermal physiology, sleep ecology, population estimation in agamids, and occupancy studies of owl species, along with long-term ecological monitoring of herpetofauna across India. His work focuses on understanding how environmental constraints influence species persistence in changing ecosystems. In his spare time, Saumitra can usually be found herping, playing badminton, or in search of a good coffee.

Shambhavi Ekbote

Shambhavi holds a Master’s degree in Ecology from Pondicherry University. She has previously worked on the land-use change and its impacts on sacred groves in northern Western Ghats. This research shed light on the stress that urban development places on tree diversity within sacred groves. For her PhD she explores how peoples perception interacts with biodiversity in urban green spaces, and how these spaces act as biodiversity refuges and contribute to human health and well-being. Alongside her research, she is a certified ceramic artist and founder of Studio Bahava, integrating creativity with scientific inquiry. She likes working with clay, painting, or reading, activities that constantly refresh her perspective on the natural forms.