Shruti Punjabi

Shruti Punjabi is a PhD student in the Urban & Environmental Design & Planning at Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs. Her research focuses on understanding transdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge co-production especially in the context of scientific teams that address complex environmental problems. Her doctoral work investigates the knowledge integration practices in a five-year NSF Growing Convergence Research (GCR) project aimed at developing stakeholder-driven solutions for inland freshwater salinity in Northern Virginia’s Occoquan Reservoir.

Shruti holds a Bachelor of Planning from the Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University in India and a Master's in Urban Planning from New York University, with a specialization in International Development. She has been actively involved in international forums, including a recent role as a student delegate at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), where she advocated for enhancing transdisciplinary learning in academic settings.

Shruti has collaborated with various international organizations and government bodies, including the Montgomery County Planning Department (MNCPPC), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), The World Bank’s East Africa Regional Unit, and the Fund for the City of New York (FCNY).

Email: shrutirp@vt.edu