Kartik Shanker is a Professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and the Founding Trustee of Dakshin Foundation. He currently serves as Chair of CES (2023–present) and has been a Professor there since 2019. Previously, he was Director of ATREE (2016–2019), Associate Professor at CES (2012–2019), and Assistant Professor (2006–2012). He also held positions at ATREE, the Centre for Herpetology, and the Wildlife Institute of India.Shanker is an Adjunct Fellow at The Takshashila Institution (2021–present) and has been a Founder Trustee of Dakshin Foundation since 2008. He also founded Dakshin Endeavours Association in 2012. He was an Adjunct Teaching Fellow at NCBS (2011–2019) and an Adjunct Fellow at ATREE (2006–2010). His work spans ecology, conservation, and policy, with a focus on marine and terrestrial ecosystems.