Sahila Kudalkar
Email: [email protected]
Qualifications Summary
I am interested in finding effective, interdisciplinary solutions to environmental issues that incorporate current scientific understanding with policy and decision-making. Over a professional career of ten years, I have worked on complex challenges integrating conservation science with institutional capacity, criminal justice, food security and development. I bring a steady mix of managerial and technical skills, with training in microeconomics, econometrics, and ecology.
Education
PhD (Sustainable Development) Sep 2023 -
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, NY, NY
M.P.P. (Environmental Policy) June 2023
The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, Chicago, IL
M.S. in Conservation Biology Dec. 2016
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY
Thesis: Effects of microhabitat on forest small mammal populations in northeast India
B.E. in Electronics Engineering June 2011
Mumbai University- D.J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai
Coursework and Skills
Publications
Professional Experience
Bartlett Fellow, Energy and Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) Sep 2022 – June 2023
EPIC Faculty Fellow June 2022 – Aug 2022
Research Assistant, Becker Friedman Institute, University of Chicago Jan 2022 – June 2022
Graduate Assistant, Harris Dean of Students Office, University of Chicago Sep 2021 – June 2022
Writing Tutor, Writing Program, University of Chicago Sep 2021 – Dec 2021
Program Manager, Wildlife Conservation Society-India Jun 2018– Aug 2021
Research Consultant, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Mar 2017–May 2018
Intern, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Oct. 2015–Dec. 2015
Research Volunteer
Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Jan. 2014, Sep. 2013
Human-wildlife conflict around protected areas in India
Surveyed 75+ rural households using questionnaire surveys to understand socio-economic factors and attitudes associated with human wildlife conflicts in western India
WILD Society, Coimbatore Oct. 2013, Jul. 2013
Evaluation and Impact of the Chytrid fungus on Amphibians of the Western Ghats
Collected chytrid samples from amphibians in the Western Ghats using non-destructive swabbing protocol
Project Officer & Yashwant Yuva Fellow, Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra Jun. 2011–Jul. 2012
Academic Scholarships
Presentations and Talks
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant Oct. 2017–Dec 2017
Duke University, Global Semester Abroad Program
Conservation and Development: Instructed a class on wildlife hunting and fishing in the tropics for undergraduate students, organized field trips, and travel across different field sites in Karnataka
Graduate Teaching Assistant Jan. 2016, Aug. 2012–May 2013
SUNY-ESF, Dept. of Environmental and Forest Biology
General Biology Laboratory I & II (EFB 102, Fall 2012 & Spring 2013)
Marine Ecology (EFB 423, Spring 2016)
Email: [email protected]
Qualifications Summary
I am interested in finding effective, interdisciplinary solutions to environmental issues that incorporate current scientific understanding with policy and decision-making. Over a professional career of ten years, I have worked on complex challenges integrating conservation science with institutional capacity, criminal justice, food security and development. I bring a steady mix of managerial and technical skills, with training in microeconomics, econometrics, and ecology.
Education
PhD (Sustainable Development) Sep 2023 -
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, NY, NY
M.P.P. (Environmental Policy) June 2023
The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, Chicago, IL
M.S. in Conservation Biology Dec. 2016
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY
Thesis: Effects of microhabitat on forest small mammal populations in northeast India
B.E. in Electronics Engineering June 2011
Mumbai University- D.J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai
Coursework and Skills
- Mathematics: Real Analysis, Linear Algebra, Four semesters of Applied and Engineering Mathematics (equivalent to the Calculus sequence, Differential Equations, and Matrix theory in U.S. universities)
- Statistics: Program Evaluation, Advanced Statistics I & II (Probability theory, bivariate and multivariate regression), Introduction to WinBUGS for Ecologists (Bayesian statistics), Sampling Techniques, Analysis of Variance
- Programming: R, Stata, NVivo, QGIS, ArcGIS, LaTeX
Publications
- Kudalkar S., Verrissimo D. (in review). Perceptions of success in community-based conservation in northeast India.
- Srivastava P., Muthanna P.M., Kudalkar S. (2020). Privately funded land purchase programme in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Oryx, 54(2): 151.
- Karanth K.K., Kudalkar S., Jain S. (2018). Re-building Communities: Voluntary Resettlement from Wildlife Reserves in India. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 6(183).
- Karanth K.K., Kudalkar S. (2017). History, Location, and Species Matter: Insights for Human-wildlife Conflict Mitigation from India. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 22(4): 331–246
- Kudalkar S., Katdare B., Ghadge S. (2014). Observations of the Indian White-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) colony at Srivardhan, district Raigad during the breeding season of 2011–2012. Newsletter for Birdwatchers, 54(2): 17.
- Dedhia P., Kanetkar K., Kudalkar S., Sankhe D. (2011). Car Data Recorder. Technofocus,2(1): 55–58
- Pendharkar A., Thorat O., Mehta P., Patil P., Kolekar R., Kudalkar S., Bhatia S., Tank M. and Khare V. (2008). Study of impact of urban biodiversity documentation on urban youth. SPROUTS–PUKAR: Report
Professional Experience
Bartlett Fellow, Energy and Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) Sep 2022 – June 2023
- Downloaded cancer mortality data by writing webscraping code using RSelenium
- Created a balance table to examine how demographics, agriculture, literacy, employment, government expenditures varied among US counties with varying crop intensities, as part of a study of impacts of DDT on public health, using Stata and LaTeX.
- Generating difference-in-differences estimates of the impact of DDT on infant mortality using within-group variation in crop and cotton production in study sites, using Stata.
EPIC Faculty Fellow June 2022 – Aug 2022
- Extracted spatial data on agricultural variables and developed maps of spatial distribution of landscape metrics associated with intensity of insecticide use using packages sf, sp, rgdal, ggplot2 in R.
- Created residual plots and executed leave-one-out regressions as part of preliminary analysis to identify county-independent variability in study variables, using Stata, and LaTeX.
- Conducted a literature review to identify impacts of ice age discontinuities on landscape simplification in US agriculture.
Research Assistant, Becker Friedman Institute, University of Chicago Jan 2022 – June 2022
- Standardized medical, education, employment and age data from the Government of India Census 1991 database using R packages dplyr, foreign for a project to estimate how the Gyps vulture declines affected health outcomes in South Asia.
- Derived district-wise population summary statistics from multiple Government of India data sources using spatial data packages raster, rgdal, and sf in R.
Graduate Assistant, Harris Dean of Students Office, University of Chicago Sep 2021 – June 2022
- Created and managed calendars for 35 tutors under Harris’ Academic Support program using the Acuity scheduling system
- Derived summary statistics and graphs of tutor usage using dplyr, stringr, lubridate, ggplot2, tidyverse packages in R
- Drafted bi-weekly reports on academic tutor usage for 900+ appointments by the 2023 MPP cohort in Autumn 2021
Writing Tutor, Writing Program, University of Chicago Sep 2021 – Dec 2021
- Mentored undergraduate students on academic writing practices for developing effective arguments using concepts such as warrants, claim-reason-evidence chains, points
- Scheduled appointments, and provided writing feedback on 40 student essay drafts using the Achieve college scheduling system at the university.
Program Manager, Wildlife Conservation Society-India Jun 2018– Aug 2021
- Directed a 20-member interdisciplinary Counter Wildlife Trafficking team across 14 states of India, has contributed to arrests of 100+ wildlife criminals in 2019-'21
- Trained 200+ officers from Forest Department, Customs, Police and security forces on legal procedures following detection of a wildlife crime
- Liaised with 10 government agencies to catalyze enforcement action against illegal wildlife trade
- Drafted 4 grant proposals to raise funds for India-wide program activities (2018- 2022)
Research Consultant, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Mar 2017–May 2018
- Analyzed socio-economic data from 592 surveys that explored motivations behind voluntary relocation in India using generalized linear models (published)
- Assisted in the design and development of eight grant proposals (two successfully funded) for the conservation initiative ‘Wild Seve’ that focuses on human-wildlife conflict mitigation and management around Nagarahole and Bandipur tiger reserves at Karnataka
- Assisted in the development of a large grant proposal focusing on voluntary relocation out of protected areas in Eastern and Western Ghats
Intern, Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Oct. 2015–Dec. 2015
- Explored how demographics, and conflict characteristics affect mitigation use from 6000 human wildlife conflict surveys from the periphery of 14 protected areas in India using generalized linear models (published)
Research Volunteer
Centre for Wildlife Studies, Bangalore Jan. 2014, Sep. 2013
Human-wildlife conflict around protected areas in India
Surveyed 75+ rural households using questionnaire surveys to understand socio-economic factors and attitudes associated with human wildlife conflicts in western India
WILD Society, Coimbatore Oct. 2013, Jul. 2013
Evaluation and Impact of the Chytrid fungus on Amphibians of the Western Ghats
Collected chytrid samples from amphibians in the Western Ghats using non-destructive swabbing protocol
Project Officer & Yashwant Yuva Fellow, Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra Jun. 2011–Jul. 2012
- Engaged in awareness meetings with veterinarians against Diclofenac drug prescription to cattle, and coordinated with cattle owners to maintain a vulture feeding ground at Anjarle, Ratnagiri, western India
- Managed a community-based eco-tourism initiative in the coastal village of Velas, western India by coordinating between local home-stays and tourists, training volunteers to manage tourists during the sea turtle egg hatching season and maintaining records of daily sea turtle hatchling release.
- Engaged in outreach including film screenings, discussions, presentations with both urban tourists and middle-school students from local educational institutions
Academic Scholarships
- College Core Writing Tutor Award, 2022
- Academic Scholarship, Harris School of Public Policy, 2021-23
- WCS C.V. Starr Tiger Conservation Fellowship, 2018
- JN Tata Endowment Scholarship, 2012–2013
- Dorabji Tata Trust Scholarship, 2009–2010
- JRD Tata Trust Scholarship, 2008–2009
- National Talent Search Scholar, 2005
Presentations and Talks
- Kudalkar S., Vijairaghavan M. (2019). Wildlife laws and frameworks in India. Wildlife Crime Academic Seminar, Nanjing, China
- Kudalkar S. (2019). Identifying wildlife trafficking hubs using media reports (Art of Making Conservation Work) Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore, India
- Kudalkar S, Karanth KK (2017). History, Location, and Species Matter: Insights for Human-wildlife Conflict Mitigation from India. Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore, India.
- Kudalkar S (2017). A Rodent’s Perspective. 3-minute speed talk. SPEEC Up, Bangalore, India.
- Kudalkar S, Tamma K, Björklund M, Silva AP (2015). Habitat correlates of the forest small mammal community in northeast India. Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore, India.
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant Oct. 2017–Dec 2017
Duke University, Global Semester Abroad Program
Conservation and Development: Instructed a class on wildlife hunting and fishing in the tropics for undergraduate students, organized field trips, and travel across different field sites in Karnataka
Graduate Teaching Assistant Jan. 2016, Aug. 2012–May 2013
SUNY-ESF, Dept. of Environmental and Forest Biology
General Biology Laboratory I & II (EFB 102, Fall 2012 & Spring 2013)
Marine Ecology (EFB 423, Spring 2016)