Yadav Ghimirey, PhD

I grew up in a remote village northeast of Kathmandu, where life was simple but full of challenges. My parents, hoping to give me better opportunities, moved our family to Gangtok in Sikkim, India. It was there that I completed my BSc in Physics—a field I appreciated but eventually realized was not where my passion truly lived.

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After finishing my undergraduate studies, I returned to Nepal searching for a path that felt more meaningful. That search led me to an MSc in Environmental Management, a decision that changed the course of my life. During my master’s program, I was given the chance to conduct field research on leopards in the middle hills of Nepal. That experience—my first real exposure to wild landscapes, field techniques, and the profound connection between people and wildlife—reshaped everything I thought I wanted. I discovered not just interest, but purpose.

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From that moment onward, I have never imagined doing anything other than wildlife research and conservation. The field has taken me from the forests of Nepal to the boreal landscapes of northern Canada, and eventually to advanced doctoral work in wildlife ecology. But at the heart of it all remains the same motivation that began in those early days: a desire to understand how wildlife and people can coexist, and how science can support that coexistence.

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My journey has been shaped equally by place, opportunity, and curiosity. Growing up across different regions and cultures taught me humility and adaptability; returning to Nepal for graduate studies grounded me in the realities of conservation; and my later academic training helped me translate passion into rigorous scientific work. I carry these experiences into every project, every classroom, and every field site.