CK

Charuta Kulkarni

Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Hokkaido University, City University of New York Graduate School and University Center, Technische Universität Dresden, University of Pune

ORCID iD 0000-0002-4952-7765
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About

Charuta is an interdisciplinary earth scientist and a passionate educator with extensive research and teaching experience across three continents. Building upon training in Geology, Archeology, and Ecology, she looks at tropical social-ecological systems through a historic lens and “translates” long-term ecological datasets into inclusive management solutions.
Following post-graduate degrees from Savitribai Phule Pune University (erstwhile, University of Pune) and Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute, India, she received PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences from City University of New York, USA, examining Medieval Balkan landscapes in the context of the Little Ice Age and socio-political stressors of the time. Charuta held the prestigious European Union Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, where her research “Project EARNEST” assessed the resilience of Western Ghats agroforestry landscapes w.r.t. past fire regimes and monsoonal changes and associated policy implications at the backdrop of India’s National Agroforestry Policy.
Charuta is currently the Co-PI on the Government of India-funded SERB-POWER Grant examining the fires in Central Indian forests as well as on International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA)-funded Global South Paleo-database Project. She is also a Steering Committee member of the Past Global Changes (PAGES) DiverseK , an international working group with a core vision of integrating diverse knowledge systems to develop policy recommendations.
As much as knowledge generation, Charuta is deeply invested in knowledge exchange with peers, students, and public alike – she has been actively communicating science through journal articles, conference and workshop participation, public speaking and writing in English as well as in the native language, Marathi. She has 15+ years of teaching, mentoring and consultancy experience, working with various academic institutions, governmental organizations as well as non-profits.
At IIT Madras’s School of Sustainability, Charuta wears her favorite “Science-Policy Facilitator” hat and actualizes innovative teaching, research and stakeholder engagement programs in the field of Sustainability.

Employment

  • Hokkaido University Instructor, OGG-STSI Program - Introduction to SDGs: Awareness of Glocal Issues and International Collaboration
    2025 - 2025
  • Technische Universität Dresden Instructor, 90th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course: Optimizing Soil Health for Enhanced Ecosystem Services through Nature-based Solutions
    2024 - 2024
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras Principal Scientist
    2023 - Present
  • Pratham Consultant (Domain Expert)
    2023 - 2023
  • International Science Council Expert Reviewer, Frontiers Planetary Prize 2023
    2022 - 2022
  • European Union Expert Evaluator, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship
    2021 - 2022
  • Aston University Research Associate – Grants Development
    2020 - 2021
  • The Open University/CNRS European Union Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellow
    2018 - 2020
  • Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University Postdoctoral Research Collaborator, Paleoecology Laboratory
    2017 - 2017
  • Hunter College Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Geography
    2017 - 2017
  • Hunter College Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Geography
    2016 - 2016
  • The Graduate Center, CUNY Quantitative Reasoning Fellow
    2014 - 2016
  • Hunter College Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Geography
    2010 - 2015
  • Pratham Curriculum Developer, Science Team
    2010 - 2010
  • Fergusson College Visiting Faculty, MSc Program in Geology
    2008 - 2010
  • Advanced Center for Water Development and Management (ACWADAM) Hydrogeology Project Intern
    2006 - 2007

Education

  • City University of New York Graduate School and University Center Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
    2010 - 2016
  • City University of New York Graduate School and University Center Master of Philosophy (M. Phil.)
    2010 - 2012
  • Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute Department of Archaeology Post-graduate Diploma
    2007 - 2008
  • University of Pune Master of Science (MSc)
    2005 - 2007
  • Fergusson College Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
    2002 - 2005

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (22)