Prof. Raj Sekhar Aich

​Transdisciplinary environmental scientist and educator | Human-shark researcher  

PhD. (Anthropology, 2021) | PhD. (Psychology, 2013)

Prof. transdisciplinary research and psychology, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata

International officer & India-lead- Marine Social Sciences Network

Human animal conflict advisor- Sundarban tiger widow welfare association.​

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​I am a transdisciplinary environmental researcher working at the intersection of human–animal relations, marine social science, anthropology, psychology and sustainability. My central concern is understanding what happens when humans and other forms of life meet—particularly in marine environments shaped by uncertainty, risk, conflict, care and coexistence.

 

Human–shark relationships have become a central lens through which I explore these questions. From Great White shark cage-diving in Aotearoa New Zealand to human–shark conflict in the Sundarbans of India, my research examines how fear, fascination, culture, livelihood, emotion and ecological realities shape the ways humans encounter the more-than-human world. This work has led me towards a broader transdisciplinary approach to human–marine relationships, including the development of the Shark–Human Holistic Research and Knowledge System (SHHRKS). 

 

Trained in both psychology and anthropology, I bring together ethnography, participatory and experiential approaches, qualitative and quantitative inquiry, environmental humanities, sustainability education and multimodal forms of knowledge-making. I am particularly interested in how research can move beyond disciplinary boundaries and contribute not only to academic understanding, but also to conservation, education, policy and more meaningful forms of coexistence. I am now looking to collaborations within Europe.

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