Curriculum vitae
Work Experience
Feb 2025 - Present
Independent Consultant - Science, Society & Justice
I help support individuals & institutions with a range of efforts including their science communication efforts; DEIA, social justice & decolonisation initiatives; branding & communications strategies; training & workshops; evaluation & impact measurement; science policymaking, facilitation & stakeholder engagement; mentorship & community building; global partnerships; writing & multimedia content generation; designing multicultural science-society interfaces, & more.
Sep 2024 - Feb 2025
Senior Manager – Ashoka Global Research Alliances, Ashoka University
Responsible for setting up an international and multidisciplinary Meetings & Workshops Office as part of the Ashoka Global Research Alliances (AGRA) Office at Ashoka University.
Previously, I also worked at Ashoka as a Visiting Faculty for the Lodha Genius Program (LGP) from May 2023 to August 2024, where I taught a module on science communication to high school students (14-18 years old) and subsequently conducted an overall impact assessment for the LGP program.
Aug 2018 - Aug 2024
Communications & Program Coordinator, National Centre for Biological Sciences
Responsible for teaching graduate-level courses in science communication, conducting multi-disciplinary research in science communication in collaboration with international colleagues, and implementing a comprehensive public relations and communications strategy for the Simons Centre at NCBS.
From 2018 to 2020, I worked at NCBS as their Science Communication & Outreach Manager, as part of which I managed their communication portfolio, organised various courses & conferences, wrote for different media outlets, commissioned multimedia science content, managed their website & social media, and conducted various capacity-building activities.
Apr 2023 - Present
Member: Scientific Committee & Co-Chair: DEIA Subcommittee, PCST Network
Elected Member of the Scientific Committee of the Public Communication of Science & Technology (PCST) Network, where I serve as the Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity & Accessibility (DEIA) Committee and lead its DEIA strategy, mandates & deliverables.
Aug 2019 - Present
Founder & Curator, SciCommSci Club
Founded the SciCommSci Club as a forum for engaging practitioners with the science of science communication, as part of which I have organized science communication research talks, developed training and mentorship initiatives, contributed to policymaking efforts and advocated for more inclusive, decolonised and multicultural forms of science engagement.
Mar 2018 - Apr 2018
Science Communicator, Edinburgh International Science Festival, UK
Led the ‘Mini-Mechanics’ workshop at EISF 2018 for explaining the Carnot cycle to 8-16 year-olds using deconstruction-based activities.
Nov 2017 - May 2018
Event Manager — Creative Reactions, Pint of Science, Edinburgh, UK
Organised various pop-up exhibits, group activities, and a science-art panel discussion as part of Pint of Science 2018 - Edinburgh.
Sep 2016 - Aug 2017
Content Editor — Research Matters, Gubbi Labs, India
Responsible for writing science journalistic pieces, corresponding with researchers, social media management, & developing science-themed multimedia outputs like podcasts, infographics, illustrations, photographs, & videos for the Research Matters website.
Education
2012 - 2016
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore | 4-year Bachelor of Science (Research)
in Biology
As part of this degree, I was formally trained in the natural sciences, and acquired a rigorous foundation in subjects like biology (my major), physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science, environmental science & other engineering subjects. I was also able to take courses in literature, philosophy, journalism, folk arts, and governance, thereby inculcating interdisciplinary ways of thinking early on.
As part of this degree, I also did a 15-month research project that trained me in several aspects of hands-on research skills, including molecular biology laboratory techniques, rDNA cloning, confocal microscopy, literature surveys, and academic writing and editing processes.
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Result: First Class | 6.7 CGPA (out of 8.0)
2017 - 2018
University of Edinburgh, UK | MSc in Science Communication & Public Engagement
My Master's degree trained me in various social sciences, media & communication subjects, including science communication, science & technology studies, public engagement, science education, dialogue & knowledge brokering, science policy, & science-art interfaces.
As part of this degree, I also worked on a 3-month social science dissertation for understanding the ‘stem cell informational needs of non-specialist publics, which further equipped me with a wide range of research skills including research design, participant recruitment, research methods, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and stakeholder engagement skills.
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Result: Merit | Distinction grade for my dissertation
Awards & Fellowships
May 2025
Conference Fellowship | PCST Network Conference, 2025
Awarded by the University of Aberdeen for attending the Public Communication of Science & Technology (PCST) Network Conference held in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK in 2025.
This fellowship worth GBP 1,650 (or INR 1.9 lakhs) covered the conference registration fees, travel arrangements and accommodation for PCST 2025.
Apr 2023
Rotterdam Fellowship | Kavli Foundation & PCST Network Conference, 2023
Awarded by the Kavli Foundation for attending the Public Communication of Science & Technology (PCST) Network Conference held in Rotterdam Netherlands in 2023.
This fellowship worth EUR 2000 (or INR 1.8 lakhs) covered the conference registration fees, travel arrangements and accommodation for PCST 2023.
Jul 2019
Conference Bursary | SiP 2019
​Awarded by the Manchester Metropolitan University for attending the Science in Public Conference held at Manchester, UK in 2019.
This fellowship worth GBP 750 (or INR 0.8 lakhs) covered the conference registration fees, travel arrangements and accommodation for SiP 2019.
2017 - 2018
International Master's Scholarship | University of Edinburgh
Awarded by the University of Edinburgh for pursuing the MSc in Science Communication & Public Engagement degree at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
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This fellowship worth GBP 3000 (or INR 3.5 lakhs) provided a partial waiver for the tuition fees of the degree program.
2012 - 2016
KVPY SB Fellowship | Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana - SB Fellowship was awarded by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, for pursuing a B.S. (Research) degree at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. ​
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This fellowship worth INR 80,000 per annum for a total of 4 years, is awarded to the top 1% of academically gifted students in the country, and provides a monthly stipend and research allowances for pursuing basic sciences education.
Skills & Competencies
Science-society
interfaces for the
Global South​​​
Branding, PR
& communications
strategy​​
Mentorship, skill
transfer &
capacity-building​​​
Supervision
of research
& practice​​​
Documentation,
budgeting
& reporting​​​
Popular &
academic
writing​​
Podcast
& video
editing​​​
Multicultural &
intersectional science engagement
Target
audience
development​​​​​​
Research methods
in the natural &
social sciences​​​​
Engaging in
policymaking
processes​​
Proposals
& grant
writing​​
Copyediting
&
proofreading​​
Social media
content, marketing
& analytics​
DEIA, social
justice & decolonisation initiatives​​​​​
Evaluation, impact measurement & knowledge transfer​​
Quantitative
& qualitative
data analysis​​​
Project
management &
leadership​​​
​Creating &
commissioning
creatives​​​​​​
Public
speaking &
moderation​​​​​
LGBTQIA+ &
mental health
advocacy​​​​​​
Research management
& conference
organisation​
Stakeholder
engagement & community-building​​​
Pedagogy
& curriculum
development​​​
Logistics, event management & admin
coordination
Researching &
developing
content​​​
Graphic
designing
& editing​​​​​​
Ability to work
independently & within collaborative teams​
