Rohini Balakrishnan

Rohini Balakrishnan is a Professor of Ecology at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, conducting pioneering research on acoustic communication systems in crickets and katydids since the early 2000s. Born in 1963 in Mumbai, India, she investigates how ecological contexts and evolutionary histories shape signaling behaviors and receiver decisions.

Her educational background includes:

• B.Sc. in Zoology from Bangalore University
• M.Sc. in Zoology from Poona University
• Ph.D. in Behaviour Genetics from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay

Professor Balakrishnan's work challenges fundamental assumptions in animal communication through interdisciplinary approaches combining physics, physiology, and evolutionary biology. She examines how anthropogenic noise impacts insect communication systems and explores unexpected phenomena like tool use in tree crickets. Her research demonstrates how signal structure, mate-finding strategies, and predation risks interact in complex natural environments.

Analysis of her 2006-2020 publications reveals consistent innovation in bioacoustics methodology and conceptual frameworks. Key themes include signal optimization through physical modifications (baffles), condition-dependent signaling strategies, and the ecological consequences of acoustic communication decisions. Her work bridges theoretical models with field observations across diverse habitats.

No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

Information about student mentorship, research grants, and laboratory infrastructure was not provided in the source material. Her collaborative publications indicate active engagement with researchers across multiple institutions, but specific advising relationships or funding sources remain undocumented in this excerpt.