Dr Rohan Shetti (Ph D)
Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation
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Dr. Rohan Shetti (PhD) is the founder of this course of Environmental Analytics. He has been active in dendro-ecological and dendro-climatological research in the sub-arctic regions from 2013 to 2021. His doctoral research was in understanding the response of vegetation to the contemporary climate warming in the sub-arctic and alpine regions in Europe and Russia. Dr. Shetti is now a post-doctoral scientist at University of Jan Evangelista in Ústí nad Labem (UJEP) in the Czech Republic working on understanding the response of trees to environmental pollution using dendro-ecological and dendro-chemical techniques.
Apart from his research in Europe Dr Shetti has on going collaborative research with Agharkar Research Institute, Pune about vegetation diversity analyses of rock outcrops in the Western Ghats. Apart from his work in natural sciences Dr Shetti works in an honorary capacity as a vice-president of Tribal Mensa Nurturing Program (TMNP) which works with identification and nurturing of gifted students from tribal, remote and underprivileged communities in Maharashtra, India. |
Dr. Aparna Watve (PhD)
Botany, Taxonomy and Landscape Ecology
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Dr. Aparna Watve is IUCN SSC Western Ghats Plant Specialist Group Redlist Authority Coordinator. She has a doctorate in vegetation ecology and has 20+ years of experience of working on conservation action in the Western Ghats hot-spot region. Her research focused on special and lesser known habitats especially Rock Outcrops and conservation planning with linkages to livelihoods and community development. She leads Rock Outcrops Network (https://rockoutcropofindia.in/), dedicated towards conservation action and scientific advocacy for the Rock Outcrops in India. The network has successfully achieved legal protection of biodiversity rich areas outside the Protected Area Network through community action. She has written 20 papers and co-edited a book on Corporate Biodiversity Management for Sustainable Growth. She has been a part of threat assessments for the Western Ghats Freshwater Plants. Aparna is currently teaching interdisciplinary subjects related to environment and society interactions at various universities. She has served as a member of the plant expert committee of the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.
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Dr. Aboli Kulkarni (PhD) Landscape Ecologist, Taxonomist and Environmental Analyst
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Dr. Aboli Kulkarni stands as a distinguished vegetation ecologist and accomplished postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Plant Breeding in Germany. Her academic journey is marked by an insightful exploration of the vegetation-environment relationship, particularly delving into the intricacies of diversity shaping within distinct environmental paradigms on the rock outcrops of the Western Ghats during her Ph.D. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Dr. Kulkarni's research focus extends to investigating vegetation dynamics in the Western Ghats across various spatial and temporal
scales. Beyond the realms of academia, she actively contributes to broader conservation efforts through her involvement in IUCN threat assessments and carbon budgeting initiatives. A true advocate of science communication, Dr. Kulkarni also engages in popular science writing to make ecological concepts accessible to a wider audience. Currently, her scholarly pursuits center around unraveling the ecological and genetic intricacies of polyploidy, showcasing her commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the field of plant biology. |
Dr Girish Kulkarni (PhD) Mathematics and Machine Learning
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Dr. Girish Kulkarni is a seasoned researcher with a profound background in mathematics, machine learning, and cutting-edge technologies like blockchains. As a former Scientific Assistant at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf and Bergische Universität Wuppertal Girish spearheaded the development of a cutting-edge reward model for task-oriented dialogue systems using Gaussian processes. Additionally, Girish showcased exceptional ingenuity in the realm of document security, contributing an advanced security feature for banknotes and identity documents. Along with the research in pure mathematics, Girish has actively engaged in ecological data analysis, utilizing advanced techniques to unveil comprehensive insights into ecological patterns. With a rich academic journey, including a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Masters from IIT Madras and University of Wenstern Ontario, Canada, Girish brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for innovative research to any professional setting.
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Dr. Pankaj Koparde (PhD) Ecology and Evolution
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Dr Pankaj Koparde is an evolutionary ecologist and assistant professor at the School of Ecology & Environmental Management, MIT World Peace University, Pune, India. He is interested in biodiversity research and conservation and aims at making an impact at the grass-root level. He is actively involved in the co-creation of knowledge by outreach through the use of popular media and citizen science. He loves teaching and the process of co-learning. He is a strong proponent of experiential learning. Dr Koparde leads two independent working research groups called the Chatur Ullu project and Dragonfly India which looks at various kinds of ornithological and entomological research. For more information about his on going projects follow the link https://www.chaturullu.in
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