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Steffi
PhD Research Scholar (Human Dimensions of Conservation)
FLAME University
Cohort
3
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Steffi is a conservation researcher and practitioner currently pursuing her PhD at FLAME University, Pune. With a background spanning environmental education and hands-on wildlife work, she is now focusing on the social dimensions of conservation. Her doctoral research explores how different human stakeholders—such as fishing communities, NGOs, government departments, and the public—interact, cooperate, or come into conflict around sea turtle conservation. Drawing on both field-based engagement and social science methods, her work highlights that conservation challenges are as much about people and relationships as they are about species protection.
Passion Project
Primary Focus Area
Ocean Literacy & Coastal Ecosystems; Environmental Justice & Community Engagement
Special Expertise
Human–wildlife conflict analysis, stakeholder research, qualitative interviews, social science methods in conservation, policy and media analysis
Steffi’s passion project examines the human dimensions of sea turtle conservation along the Indian coastline, with a primary field base in Chennai. Through interviews, stakeholder mapping, policy analysis, and media review, she studies how fishers, local vendors, NGOs, forest and fisheries departments, and the wider public perceive and engage with sea turtle conservation initiatives. Her work aims to inform more collaborative, context-sensitive conservation strategies that balance ecological goals with community realities.
Communities engaged
Pedagogical Style