Anu Rai

Bio

Anu Rai is a Ph.D. student in Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech.

She aims to advance community-led conservation, particularly among Indigenous and historically underrepresented populations. Her study focuses on the human dimensions of conservation, namely how identity, belonging, trust and cultural values influence collective action in natural resource management. She uses social-psychological theories to better understand people’s motivations to commit themselves in conservation and the social factors that influence collective behavior. Anu uses qualitative and quantitative approaches to promote ecologically sustainable and socially just place-based conservation initiatives.