Stephen A

Biography

Achievements: 1. Studied the palaeo-ecology of southern India and Leaf Trait Measurements of the plants of Eastern Ghats. The study was the first of its kind in the forests of the Eastern Ghats and used holistic approach in studying various aspects like pollen-vegetation relationship, past environmental changes and plant functional type classification. 2. Studied seed ecology of Syzygium cumini, an interesting species shows poly-embryony. 3. Studied the Late Cretaceous fossil flora of Palar basin and also the water quality status of freshwater lakes of Chennai and its suburbs, as well as the nutrient content and chlorophyll content of two native species namely, Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica. 4. Resource person in POLTRAIN-Multidisciplinary training program at Laboratory of Palynology, Department of Ecology, French Institute of Pondicherry, Puducherry. 5. Organized workshop for “Identification of Flowering Plants of Chennai” at Dr. Ambedkar Govt. Arts College, Vyasarpadi, Chennai. 6. Keynote speaker at UGC sponsored seminar on “Plant Systematics: Principles and Practices” at Dr. Ambedkar Govt. Arts College, Vyasarpadi, Chennai. 7. Completed a project entitled “Floristic Inventory and Environmental Impact Assessment of Chemplast Sanmar (Pvt.) Ltd., a Chemical Industry in Mettur, Salem District”. 8. Member of editorial board of three peer reviewed journals and reviewer of more than dozen journals. 9. Total of 18 peer reviewed publications in journals, 3 reports, 9 papers in conference proceedings, 29 abstracts in conferences and 3 dissertations. Outreach • Training/Outreach/Resource Person: Served as Resource Person in various training programs of Conservation Education in association with WWF-India, Tamil Nadu State office. • Resource Person: Eco Vision department of Diocese of Madras, Church of South India for their church lay-leaders, lay-preachers and presbyters to create awareness on climate change issues. • Resource Person for Science Seminar-Orientation program for school teachers organized by Cordova Publications Pvt. Ltd. at Velankanni Matriculation and Higher Secondary School, Ashok Nagar, Chennai.

Research Interest

1. Plant Systematics and Conservation of Medicinal Plants 2. Ecology and Conservation Science 3. Evolutionary Biology 4. Functional Ecology 5. Palynology – Palaeoecology 6. Reproductive Biology 7. Phytochemistry 8. Ethnobotany 9. Pharmacognosy