Gaurav S. Athreya

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Hi! I’m a theoretical biologist with interests broadly in the areas of evolutionary theory, complex systems, and the mathematics used in these fields. I hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of how ecological and evolutionary processes influence each other, and how they influence the emergence of complexity and diversity in biological systems. I recently graduated with a master’s degree in mathematics and biology from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, and will soon start a PhD at the University of Mainz.

In my work, I have so far focused on two main questions: 1) what are the conditions that lead to the emergence of new levels of individuality? This is the question addressed by the notion of major transitions in evolution. 2) which kinds of interaction patterns can lead to co-existence in large ecological communities?

I think theoretical approaches to these questions - as with most questions in biology - are very powerful due to their ability to both make predictions and enable broad conclusions. I have previously worked on projects in computational biology, stochastic processes, and (theoretical) microbial ecology and evolution. More details can be found on my Research page.

To unwind, I like to play Dungeons and Dragons, go hiking in the mountains, and learn about languages and history. Feel free to reach out by clicking on the icons at the bottom of this page!