Anshuman Swain’s move to the University of Michigan from Harvard University opens an exciting new chapter for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. His diverse research interests, combined with his interdisciplinary approach, will significantly contribute to the department's mission. We look forward to the innovative research and collaborations that Anshuman will bring to our community.
"I couldn't be more thrilled about joining such a dynamic and supportive environment. There's so much potential [for me] here, and I can't wait to start contributing," says Anshuman.
Anshuman’s research vision at Michigan includes examining plant-insect interactions in terrestrial ecosystems and studying planktonic microorganisms in marine environments, in both cases using fossils. By integrating these two realms, he aims to understand how species interactions and distributions are shaped by environmental factors. His approach to science has already yielded valuable insights into ecological and evolutionary processes over long temporal scales, with more important insights on the horizon.
Originally hailing from a small mining town in Odisha, India, next to a national forest and a coal mine, Anshuman's journey to becoming a scientist is as inspiring as it is unique. Growing up, access to higher education was a challenge, and far-flung aspirations like becoming a scientist felt out of reach. However, Anshuman's determination and academic excellence paved the way for a scholarship to a city school where he first encountered a large library.
“If someone had asked me back then about becoming a scientist, I don't think I would have imagined it. Growing up, most people around me aimed to become engineers or doctors. But those early experiences of nature left a lasting impact on me,” reflects Anshuman.
The transformative experience of moving to Bangalore for his undergraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) marked the beginning of Anshuman's academic journey in physics, a subject he chose because it closely aligned with engineering—a conventional career path. However, it was a serendipitous encounter with courses in ecology and early life on Earth that ignited his passion for the natural world.
"In Bangalore, I took courses in ecology and early life on Earth and realized people could make a living studying these subjects. My childhood experiences living near a national forest made a deep impact on my interests," Anshuman shares.
During his undergraduate years, Anshuman realized that a career in ecology was not only possible but deeply alluring, given his upbringing in a region lush with biodiversity. This newfound interest led him to pursue a PhD at the University of Maryland under the guidance of Dr. Bill Fagan, who appreciated Anshuman’s strong quantitative background and provided him the freedom to explore various research areas.
"Bill Fagan was incredibly supportive. He allowed me to explore different fields and emphasized the importance of finishing each project, which taught me discipline and commitment," says Anshuman.
Throughout his PhD, Anshuman explored an array of topics, from microbial ecology to fish and experiments with ants. This eclectic approach allowed him to develop a broad set of skills and knowledge, which he diligently applied to his research. His dissertation focused on microbial ecology, investigating how interactions between microbes influence community diversity and environmental events.
"I struggled for the first two years to figure out my exact interest. Eventually, I accepted that I was interested in many things, from microbes to fish to plant-insect interactions," Anshuman explains.
In addition to his primary research, Anshuman pursued his interest in paleontology by working on plant-insect interactions in the fossil record. This side project led to collaborative opportunities with the Smithsonian. His work, integrating quantitative methods with paleontological data, has resulted in significant publications, including two high-impact papers in Nature. These studies provided insights into major extinction events and community changes over the last 66 million years in marine ecosystems.
Anshuman’s multifaceted research aligns perfectly with the strengths of EEB, Paleontology, and Complex Systems. The opportunity to collaborate with experts such as Dr. Nate Sanders, Dr. Marjorie Weber, and Dr. Mia Howard, among others, was a compelling factor in his decision to join the faculty. Anshuman is excited about the rich resources and collaborative environment at Michigan, particularly the significant collections at the Research Museum Center.
"Ann Arbor is excellent in EEB, paleontology, and complex systems—the three areas I work in. It felt like a perfect match," Anshuman notes with excitement. “In my first year, I plan to continue my work on understanding the response of planktic forams (small amoeba-like organisms that make shells) to major climatic perturbations. In addition, I will work on the evolution of terrestrial plant, insect, and plant-insect interactions. I will achieve this through a mix of fieldwork, data from museum specimens, and theoretical models. Recently, our work on one such site (which we dug near Boston) was published in Nature Communications and I want to continue working on this site (Wamsutta Formation) further.”
Anshuman officially joined the department this January and his wife, Srishti Sood, a PhD Candidate in Sociocultural Anthropology at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., will join him in Ann Arbor later in the year. As someone who has experienced both tropical climates and harsh winters, Anshuman is well-prepared for Michigan’s seasonal extremes!
In addition to his academic pursuits, Anshuman is an avid photographer, capturing the beauty of the natural world through his lens. His photographs will undoubtedly add a vibrant visual dimension to his research endeavors at Michigan, and he’ll probably be tough to beat in our annual photography contest.
"I'm very lucky to have had great mentors and a supportive partner. I'm excited about the next chapter at Michigan, both for my career and for the opportunity to contribute to the community," Anshuman concludes.
