I am an ecologist interested in the applications of quantitative techniques to natural resources management (NRM), particularly water resources. I have successfully raised funds and coordinated over 15 action research and NRM related projects in as many years. In this period I have raised about 2.5 million USD and helped build the Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy and Learning, a non-profit organisation based in South India. I have been a trustee of FERAL since its founding in 1997. As of 2007, I have re-focused my efforts towards publications in peer reviewed journals and have since published about two papers annually. I am currently wrapping up my PhD research on GIS and remote sensing based tools and models for water resources management and looking forward to more experience in this area.
I am fluent in four Indian languages and have worked in many North and South Indian states.
Education
2005 -- current PhD (awaiting review), Ecology. Pondicherry University, Pondicherry India. Thesis topic: Landscape Ecology and Watershed Modelling.
1992 -- 1994 Master of Science ,Ecology. Pondicherry University, Pondicherry India. Thesis topic: Agro-ecosystems.
1988 -- 1991 Bachelor of Science. Panjab University Chandigarh India.
Professional Career
2003 -- Senior Research Fellow, FERAL Pondicherry. Coordinate various action research projects and conduct workshops at regular intervals. Current work is on watershed and landscape modelling, natural resource management, sustainable fisheries livelihoods and restoration ecology.
2000 -- 2003 Project Coordinator, Auromitra Foundation Auroville Tamil Nadu. Coordinated projects on participatory irrigation management, tank rehabilitation and community based natural resources management.
1996 -- 2000 Principal Investigator, Centre for Ecology and Rural Development Pondicherry. Coordinated projects dealing with integrated pest management and farmer field experiments for promoting appropriate agriculture.
1991 -- 1992 Field Assistant, Indian Institute of Public Administration New Delhi. Worked on human-nature conflicts in four National Parks in North India.
Professional InterestsWater resources management
Applications of science and quantitative tools in watershed development, surface hydrology, restoration and community based natural resources management (NRM) are the core of my professional interests. The role of social and political institutions and issues of equity and representation of women and weaker sections in NRM are also of interest. I have been involved with a number of projects where communities are mobilised for watershed restoration, irrigation management, afforestation and fisheries co-management.
Stream ecology and surface hydrology has been my focus for the past three years. I am presently involved in the application of GIS and remote sensing tools and models in watershed management. My project, supported by the Dept. of Science and Technology, has allowed me to set up gauging stations at three locations and I am putting together a landscape tool (ATtILA) and a SWAT model based on this data. One publication from this work has recently been accepted by the Journal for Water Resources Management and another manuscript awaits review.
Teaching
I have taught in various environments, from university based workshops attended by over 50 post graduates to open air sessions with development activists and farmers. My courses typically utilise a mix of hands on sessions followed by theoretical introductions - a technique that is particularly effective when the course involves the use of software applications such as GIS/RS or statistics. I use the Moodle course management system extensively for more formal courses and base my grading on practical performance, quizzes and a few essay based assignments. I take feedback from my students and colleagues seriously as a result of which my courses are constantly evolving.
I have taught M.Sc. courses on GIS and remote sensing at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences at the Pondicherry University for two semesters and more recently an introductory GIS/RS course for the M.Sc. Wildlife Sciences at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore. I also teach GIS, sustainable agriculture and basic statistics to undergraduate students in FERAL's study abroad programme with Juniata college and have conducted workshops for development professionals in various applications of participatory GIS, GIS & remote sensing, statistics and field techniques in ecology and mapping. I am currently working on a course on ArcGIS which I will be teaching undergraduate study abroad students.
I have written a number of manuals and prepared various on-line courses to facilitate my teaching programmes some of which are available at the FERAL website and its online Moodle site.
GIS, remote sensing and other software
I prefer to use free and open source software and train in, and advocate the use of FOSS particularly for science, education and development organisations. I am an advanced user of GRASS, Q-GIS, the R package for statistical computing and LaTeX with the LyX front-end. I also use commercial software such as ArcView (3x and 9x), IDRISI, FRAGSTATS and SWAT for my work on a less regular basis. I am well versed in office software (OpenOffice, Microsoft Office) and regularly use relational databases (PostgreSQL and postGIS).
I continue to apply my knowledge of GIS, remote sensing and participatory techniques to develop risk maps, vulnerability maps (both social and physical) and to evaluate and monitor disaster relief and rehabilitation efforts and projects. I also train field teams in the use of these techniques for both rapid as well as intensive surveys and studies.
Personal Information
I'm 42 and married with two kids. I live with my family on a farm outside Pondicherry in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
