Research Lead, Environmental Governance & Policy

poonam@sustainablefutures.org

Dr. Poonam Mangaraj is a Research Lead in the Environmental Governance and Policy vertical at the Sustainable Futures Collaborative. Her work focuses on urban air quality, emission inventories, air pollution induced health impacts and policy evaluation, reflecting a strong commitment to addressing critical air pollution challenges. With over 20 peer-reviewed publications, she brings extensive experience in developing high-resolution emission databases, leading large-scale field campaigns, and evaluating mitigation strategies to reshape policy decisions. Dr. Poonam previously served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Kyoto, Japan, and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), IISc Bengaluru, India. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, India. Through her extensive research, she sees science as a catalyst for change and strives to ensure that the evidence doesn’t just stay on papers—but actively reshapes the policies for cleaner air, breathable cities and more resilient communities.