Dr. Stotra Chakrabarti is an Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior and Conservation in the Department of Biology, Macalester College, Minnesota, USA. He holds graduate faculty status in Conservation Sciences at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, USA. Through empirical and synthetic approaches that incorporates observational fieldwork, geo-spatial and statistical analyses, Chakrabarti’s research program investigates the links between fundamental animal behavior and applied conservation, with large mammals (especially carnivores) as focal species. His long-term research has been on lions in India and East Africa. His research also explores human-nature relationships across diverse socio-cultural landscapes. Chakrabarti’s research program is aimed to support and train the next generation of inclusive behavioral ecologists and conservation biologists, through mentorship of diverse undergraduate and graduate scholars, and training programs for forest managers and policy makers. He teaches courses in Animal Behavior, Wildlife Conservation, and Wildlife Monitoring. Chakrabarti’s lab actively communicates science through conventional and popular formats. Chakrabarti’s curiosity in the natural world began with a childhood spent watching leopards and elephants in the vicinity of where he grew up: the foothills of Himalayas in India. While his cultural upbringing instilled deep reverence for wild animals, he also experienced the threats that such wildlife can pose to lives and livelihoods. Subsequently, an immersive and rigorous graduate program at the Wildlife Institute of India cemented his interest in animal behavior and conservation biology.