Dr. Karanth is Chief Conservation Scientist and Executive Director at CWS, and Faculty at Duke. She has a Ph.D. from Duke (2008), a M.E.Sc from Yale (2003). She has also completed executive education courses at Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford. As a scientist, her research in India and Asia spanning 26 years encompasses many issues in the human dimensions of wildlife conservation. She has published 100+ scientific and popular articles in English and Kannada. Krithi has mentored over 250 young scientists from India, US, Chile, UK, Australia, Indonesia etc. and engaged 750 citizen science volunteers in her research and conservation projects. As a conservationist, she has designed award-winning Wild Seve, Wild Shaale, Wild Surakshe and Wild Carbon programs. As a storyteller Krithi has collaborated with painters, illustrators, film-makers, and photographers. She has co-produced multiple documentaries and co-starred with Kevin Pietersen in Save This Rhino: India by Disney Hotstar and National Geographic. Krithi's work has been covered by over 300 media outlets such as BBC, CNN, Washington Post, Time Magazine, NPR, New York Times etc.
Krithi is National Geographic Society’s 10,000th grantee and Explorer. She has been recognized with 50+ awards and recognitions include Rolex Laureate, Aspen-Ananta Fellow, Eisenhower Fellow, WEF Young Global Leader, Wild Innovator, Vogue Women of the Year, GQ Man of the Year-Environmental Hero, Beyond Duke University Alumni Award for Service and Leadership.