Nagendra in Nepal In such densely populated tropical areas, a rising demand for resources has led to deforestation, with alarming implications for biodiversity and survival of humankind.

Awarded by the Society in Science, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the fellowships extend for a period of up to five years, giving recipients the opportunity and intellectual freedom to pursue novel issues at the interface of science and society, challenging traditional disciplinary boundaries and expanding their scientific work into allied areas.

Nagendra’s research centers on remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems. She currently is studying the social and physical factors affecting forest biodiversity and conservation in rural areas of Nepal and Honduras.

In such densely populated tropical areas, a rising demand for resources has led to deforestation, with alarming implications for biodiversity and survival of humankind. In several regions, however, the involvement of local communities has led to effective forest conservation.

Using the newest technology and satellite imaging, Nagendra will derive past and present pictures of forest cover. This information, together with field data on biodiversity distribution and the activities of local communities, will provide insights into the key social and environmental factors that impact forest conservation and new strategies for sustaining biodiversity in rural communities.

Nagendra, whose doctoral studies were in ecological sciences, is considered one of India’s most promising young scientists. Besides her appointment at IU’s CIPEC, she is an adjunct fellow with Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, and an associate member of the Indian Academy of Sciences.

More than 100 international applications were received by the Society in Science award committee. Other recipients were from Italy, Hungary and the United Kingdom.

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