Phycologist and Lecturer at Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)

Dr. Puja Kumari is a phycologist and lecturer at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), UK with extensive experience in seaweed biology, stress physiology, algal lifecycles, chemical ecology and algal bioprospection. She obtained her PhD from CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI) and Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, India in March 2014.

She is the past recipient of prestigious international postdoctoral fellowships including ARO postdoctoral fellowship (Nov 2014-Nov 2016) at Agricultural Research Organisation, Israel, Blaustein postdoctoral fellowship (Dec 2017- Sep 2018) at the Ben-Gurion University, Sde-Boker Campus, Israel, JSPS postdoctoral fellowship at Hokkaido University, Japan, (Nov 2018- Sep 2020), and Marie Sklodowska Curie postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Aberdeen (Nov 2020- Jan 2023).

Her current research is focussed on climate change adaptations, seaweed cultivation, seaweed breeding programs and algal diseases. She is interested in developing sustainable seaweed supply chain in the region. She is also keen to promote girls and women in science and encourage more women leadership in broader aquaculture sector.