Biography

Growing up in New York City and South India, I developed a lifelong appreciation for biodiversity and curiosity about global change. I completed my B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, where I conducted research on South and Southeast Asian mammal biogeography. Upon graduating in 2020, I worked on COVID-19 response at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. My academic and work experiences have led me to explore the human-wildlife interface where viral spillover occurs. I will pursue a PhD in Biology at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge. My research employs a One Health approach to modeling anthropogenic drivers of zoonotic emergence from bat populations. This work will inform solutions to both biodiversity loss and future pandemics, particularly in regions with threatened habitats, high spillover risk, and limited health infrastructure. I strongly believe in accessible and inclusive science, and will continue prioritizing creative science communication during my PhD. I look forward to collaborating with the Gates Cambridge community to tackle pressing issues at the intersection of public and planetary health.

Previous Education

Yale University Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 2020