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Biodiversity Specialist Action area: Landscapes Resilient economies and landscapes
Dr. Kesang Wangchuk works as Biodiversity Specialist at ICIMOD. He joined the organisation in 2019 after 20 years of working with the Renewable Natural Resources Research Center in Bhutan, testing and developing research technologies. He also held a position as Principal Researcher in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in Bhutan.
At ICIMOD, his responsibilities have included biodiversity conservation, research, development of conservation strategies, and building policy recommendations to mainstream sustainable biodiversity management in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. He took the lead on transboundary human-wildlife conflict, a prominent threat to conservation efforts in the region.
Kesang has a PhD in Natural Resources Science from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria. He has authored over 40 international publications.
Kesang Wangchuk
How do you protect the pulse of the planet?
Just as the pulse is an important measure of health and well-being in bodies, biodiversity is an important measure of the ecosystem health of the HKH. I contribute to biodiversity conservation and promoting robust biodiversity resources in the HKH, which is key to ensuring diverse ecosystem services for the well-being of mountain people. For this, I strive to put science into action.
What is your favorite part of the work you do at ICIMOD?
The pleasant working environment and friendly employees are the things that come to my mind first.
What are you passionate about?
I have a strong passion for research in areas outside my own field of expertise.
My qualifications
I graduated from Kerala Agricultural University, India and started off my career as Research Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture in Bhutan. I coordinated livestock research in Bhutan, focusing on forages before I pursued an MSc (Agriculture) at the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Upon my return from Australia, I became a Project Coordinator of Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) in Bhutan. I completed a PhD in 2013 from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria. Since then, I worked as Deputy Chief Research Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan, prior to taking up the current post at ICIMOD.
