Ayushi Nayak

Ayushi is currently a PhD Student at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Her research focusses on the nature of the different trajectories of human activities in prehistory that have led to the hyper-diversity that defines the Indian sub-continent today. Through the application of biomolecular approaches, her work explores different aspects of the human past in South Asia, such as diet, early farming strategies, population movement, and inter-cultural interactions. In addition to this, Ayushi is interested in approaches to decolonising archaeological and anthropological theory, public engagement with cultural heritage, and humanist perspectives on integrating scientific method with social theory.