Dr. Shiva Devkota

Dr. Shiva Devkota brings over two decades of expertise in ecology and evolution, focusing on wild mushrooms, caterpillar fungi, and lichens in Himalayan landscapes. He holds a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) and the University of Bern, Switzerland, as well as an MSc in Botany and an MA in Anthropology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Dr. Devkota has established collaborative relationships with various governmental, intergovernmental, non-governmental, and academic organizations. His noteworthy achievements include a wealth of scientific publications and a strong track record of securing research grants. He was selected as a Fellow Scientist for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) after a global competition. In recognition of his contributions, a lichen species, Lobaria devkotae M.X. Yang & Scheid, was named in his honor by Swiss and Chinese scientists. Passionate about delivering science to society, Dr. Devkota actively works to educate the public about the dangers of mushroom poisoning, promotes tourism focused on mushrooms and fungi, and maps the underground networks of fungi in Nepal.