PhD Student Selected for Research Exchange Programme on Carbon Sequestration in Mangroves at the University of St Andrews

Shrutika Parihar, a PhD student at Ahmedabad University, has been selected for the SUPER GCRF PhD Researcher Exchange Scheme with the University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The reciprocal exchange programme will be carried out between November 1 and December 15, 2022, to create a sustainable, long-term partnership between the two Universities to research climate mitigation and adaptation through blue carbon pathways. Under the exchange programme, Alex Houston will be visiting Ahmedabad University. Shrutika works with Minal Pathak, Associate Professor at the Global Centre for Environment and Energy, and is conducting her research on Carbon sequestration in mangroves in the Kutch district of Gujarat. 

The Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research Doctoral Training Partnership (SUPER DTP) has been awarded funding from NERC under its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) CDT/DTP Flexible Funding Award to increase DEI awareness to share direct experience across cultures. SUPER-funded doctoral candidates have the opportunity to develop their intercultural understanding and communication skills as well as expand their doctoral research in a diverse and inclusive international environment through networking and collaborations.

Coastal wetlands such as mangroves and saltmarshes are increasingly recognised for their tremendous ‘blue carbon’ potential. Shrutika will use satellite imagery to model coastal wetland trends in the Gujarat region of India and predictive modelling to formulate future climate scenarios. Alex will measure the sources of organic carbon (OC) in Scottish saltmarshes.

The exchange brings together pairs of students to share reciprocal visits to each other’s universities to shadow and share experiences of working life and culture. The fund addresses the United Nations sustainable development goals and aims to maximise the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunities in the developing world. This funding will foster intercultural understanding and communication skills as well as expand doctoral research in a diverse and inclusive international environment through networking and collaboration.

In January this year, Shrutika was also awarded a fully-funded field-based workshop at Indian Sunderbans Early Career Researchers. She was among the top three of 18 Early Career Researchers for the Newton-Bhabha Researchers (British Council) Link Workshop 2020, organised by West Bengal State University and New Castle University.