My interest in social and ecological system research stemmed from my schooling days. I grew up in a semi-rural town in India and studied in a fun alternative schooling system founded by the first non-European/ American Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. We had no classrooms, and all classes used to be taken under trees. Our school's routine depended heavily on nature's calendar, dictated by the six prominent Indian seasons and day-to-day weather. The government of India heavily subsidized the school for its cultural significance, which invited students from different parts of India and the world regardless of their caste, religion, and economic class. This turned out to be a rich and diverse social exposure for me. While studying there, I developed a strong love for nature and a keen interest in the mechanics of human society.

As I progress through my academic journey,  I decided to dedicate my time to understanding the two seemingly separate systems (society and ecology) and add to the current body of ongoing work, building a bridge between the two domains.