Rupanwita (Rupu) Gupta, PhD is a conservation psychologist, researcher, and evaluator based in New York City.

I am interested in what motivates people to take care of nature and the environments with which they interact. My work is grounded on understanding the culturally nuanced ways people experience natural systems and support a mutually beneficial relationship with nature.

With this foundation, I study how to activate change agents, whether individuals, organizations, or groups, so that they can positively impact the natural systems they take care of. I do this through research and evaluation in partnership with environmental non-profits, academic researchers, environmental evaluators, and community leaders. I aim to ensure that my work creates observable change at an individual or collective level to strengthen their capacity to improve environmental conditions.

I situate environmentalism within a broad, societal perspective that acknowledges different views of “nature”, “environment”, and the connections between social, economic, health, cultural, and environmental goals. This premise is paramount to develop just and equitable solutions to tackle complex social-ecological challenges, like climate change. I have developed a robust body of work demonstrating my commitment to elevating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the environmental and climate sectors so that everyone can shape a positive relationship with nature.