PhD Student Biological Anthropology
he/him/his
Matriculated September 2024
Research Interests
About
Soumalya Ghorui is a PhD student in Biological Anthropology working in the Sensory Morphology and Anthropological Genomics Lab (SMAGL). His research focuses on how seasonal environmental variation impacts the feeding ecology, behavior and gut microbial communities of high-altitude Central Himalayan Langurs (Semnopithecus schistaceus). He is interested in understanding how these langurs adapt to extreme environments, especially during the winter.
Soumalya developed his passion for ecology and primatology during his integrated M.Sc. in Biotechnology at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. He did his master’s thesis on community ecology and functional trait analysis from the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), at CSIR-CCMB. Soumalya is currently engaged with the Himalayan Langur Project, where he is contributing to the long-term behavioral study of the Himalayan Langur troops in the Indian Himalayas.
As a doctoral student, Soumalya will be working closely with Dr. Christopher Schmitt and Dr. Cheryl Knott. Under their guidance, Soumalya will delve deeper into the complexities of high-altitude adaptation, exploring how primates like S. schistaceus balance thermoregulatory costs through nutritional, behavioral and physiological adjustments.
At Boston University, Soumalya is committed to advancing research in primate behavioral ecology and conservation, while contributing to the academic community at BU and beyond.
Awards & Grants
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Boston University Dean’s Fellowship. (Fall 2024, Spring 2025).
Publications
- forthcoming