Formally trained in wildlife biology and conservation, I am currently a PhD student at Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore. My research interest lies in understanding how wildlife respond to large scale habitat changes and its implications for conservation actions. Using hornbills as focal taxa, I try to understand their behavioural adaptations, nesting ecology, population ecology and evolution in the context of their changing environments. My PhD study is about understanding impacts of paleo-climate, geography and anthropogenic threats on phylogeography and population genetics of hornbills in India. Apart from academic research, I like to try my hand at science communication.

I completed my Integrated BS-MS program at IISER Pune in 2024, majoring in Biology with a minor in Humanities and Social Sciences. My broad interests lie in the fields of ecology, evolution, and animal behaviour, with a keen focus on population genetics, community ecology, and the evolution of behaviour. For my master’s thesis, I studied the spatial distribution of genetic variation in co-distributed centipede species across the Western Ghats and examined the ecological and geoclimatic factors shaping this variation. Currently, at CEROS, I am working on a project that explores bird diversity across India. Using citizen science data, we aim to identify bird diversity hotspots and understand their ecological drivers to inform conservation prioritisation. Beyond science, I am deeply passionate about music, cinema, food, cricket and literature.

Email: dhanushss2205@gmail.com

I finished my Masters in Ecology from Pondicherry University in 2023. I am passionate about herpetology and particularly interested in answering questions that integrate the broad themes of biogeography and thermal biology. For my Master’s dissertation, I worked on the thermal physiology of geckos in urban Bengaluru. At CEROS, I work on population ecology and the conservation of geckos and their rocky habitats in the northern Western Ghats. Having been part of a Snow Leopard monitoring project earlier, I am very fond of high-altitude landscapes and would rarely refuse an offer for a trek up the Himalaya. Reading fiction and playing badminton are my other interests.

Email: vaishapte99@gmail.com