Project associates and assistants

TAPASYA THAPA, Project associate

Indian Institute of Science (March 2022-)

Born and brought up in a small city, Dehradun. Did my master’s in Biotechnology in 2018. It was my post-graduation dissertation that sparked my interest in the field of phylogenetics. Just after my masters, I joined Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and gained experience in conservation genetics tools and techniques. And since March 2022, I have been working as a Project Associate in Population and Community Ecology lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISC, Bangalore. Here, I help with the molecular lab work and routine chemistry work. I am keen to understand the effect of the environment on the evolution of characters and the survival of these characters from the molecular point of view. Apart from extracting and amplifying DNA, I love to dance and read some good fiction. Also, a music fanatic and yes, a major Potterhead.

VANSHIKA PAL, Research assistant

Indian Institute of Science (May 2023-)

Hey, everyone I am Vanshika Pal. I am from Lucknow, and I completed my education till post grad from University of Lucknow. Insects came into my life by one of my teacher and then there was no going back, from observing their behaviors to dissecting them, I enjoyed every piece of it. I have worked with different insect models like Tribolium castaneum, and Sitophilus oryzae. I have also worked on butterfly identification and their morphometric data extraction at NCBS. Currently, I am looking at butterfly behaviours and their diversity. Along with that I also work with parasitoid wasps i.e. Trichogramma sp.

PRAKRUTI MEHTA, Research Assistant

Indian Institute of Science (Feb 2024-)

With a fascination in ecology, and interest in the environment, I completed my master’s in environmental science. With a diverse background in studying birds, butterflies, macro fungi and invasive snails, I have honed my skills in ecology and conservation. Currently, at the PoCo Eco lab, I am delving deeper into the community ecology of parasitoids, helping with sample collection, and rearing insects, including butterflies and parasitoids. I am eager to understand the complexities of these ecosystems and the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on these communities. In addition to my scientific curiosity, I’m a cat parent to two adorable fur babies and a major bookworm.