Research is an integral part of my educational experience and academic career goals. The three main goals of my research programs are to work on the interface of social and natural sciences to explore the dynamic relationship between natural resources and people; ensure the sustainability of natural resources in developed and developing countries; and to channelize my research to benefit society and nature.     

In general, I am interested in exploring and problem-solving issues related to resource management and sustainable utilization for human welfare. My research interests lie in human dimensions, economics, social sciences, socio-ecological systems, application of GIS and remote sensing, land use and cover change analysis, landscape ecology,  and qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate current and emerging conservation topics related to natural resources management and society. My research brings an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human-nature interactions.

“The most exciting change I see is land-use combined with community and conservation-friendly solutions that allow us to be productive and rejuvenate areas where we see bounties of biodiversity.”

My dissertation addresses the relationship between deforestation and agricultural expansion in the southeast USA. My research follows an integrative approach focusing on the following aspects: assessing land rent of yellow pine species grown in coastal Georgia relative to blueberries in the presence and absence of market and climate risks, understanding the perceptions of private landowners to know their decision-making framework while selecting blueberries over yellow pine species, understanding the historical land-use changes in a watershed and project the same for the future, and  determining the impact of land-use changes, specifically deforestation on the  ecosystem services in the selected watershed.

Currently, I work on Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE),  research projects funded by Iowa State University Presidential Integrative Research Initiatives (ISUPIRI) on understanding the relationship between conservation practices used by landowners and social, behavioral, and ecological characteristics. I am using social-ecological system analysis framework to tackle these objectives.