Dr. Sandesh Mahadev Gawas

Faculty of Life Science

Zoology

Faculty

Dr. Sandesh Mahadev Gawas

Assistant Professor

Year of Joining/Teaching Experience

2025

Areas of Specialization

Zoology, Insect systematics

Contact Details

Email: smg002@chowgules.ac.in

BIO

I am Dr. Sandesh M. Gawas, a zoologist, environmental educator, and biodiversity researcher based in Goa, India. I hold a PhD in Life Sciences (Zoology) and have over ten years of experience in teaching, research, and field-based ecological studies. My primary expertise lies in insect taxonomy, particularly Hymenoptera, biodiversity assessment, and conservation science. I have co-discovered four new species of parasitic wasps from India and developed the “Vespidae of India” online database hosted by ICAR–NBAIR. In addition to research, I am actively involved in curriculum development, public outreach, and mentoring students, with a strong commitment to science-based environmental education and biodiversity conservation.

Positions Held Assistant Professor in Zoology

Accomplishments Recipient of CSIR-Senior Research Fellowship for the doctoral research.

RESEARCH PAPERS

Research Papers Research Publications: 12

Kulkarni, R, Naik, V.J., Shelke, R & Gawas, S.M. (2025). Inventory of faunal diversity (butterflies) of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa, India. Journal of Entomological Research 49(1):309-317. 10.5958/0974-4576.2025.00049.1
Gawas, S.M., & Gupta, A. (2024). Taxonomic studies on chalcid wasps (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Chalcididae) of Goa, India, with an illustrated key to genera and species. Journal Of Natural History, 58 (9–12), 342–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2024.2315671
Gawas, S.M., & Gupta, A. (2022). Diversity of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in agroecosystem and forest ecosystem of Western Ghats region of Goa, India. Journal of Biological Control, 36(1), 71-79. https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/2022/30215
Gawas, S.M., Girish Kumar, P., Pannure, A., Gupta, A. & Carpenter, J.M. (2020) An annotated distributional checklist of Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) of India. Zootaxa, 4784 (1), 001–087. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4784.1.1
Gupta, A. & Gawas, S.M. & (2020) A new species of the genus Faenatopus Smith (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea: Stephanidae) from India. Zootaxa, 4801(1), 389–394. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4801.2.13
Gawas, S.M., Girish Kumar, P., Gupta, A. & Sureshan, P.M. (2019) Checklist of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of Goa, India, with new records and a key to species. Zootaxa, 4585(2), 269–294. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4585.2.3
Sora, S., Gawas, S.M., Gupta, A. & Shaw, S.S. (2019) Checklist of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of Arunachal Pradesh, India, with a new distribution record of Vespula flaviceps (Smith). Journal of Biological Control, 33(4), 336–342. https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/2019/24148
Gawas, S.M. & Gupta, A. (2017) First record of Polistes (Polistella) dawnae Dover and Rao (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from India. Journal of Biological Control, 31(2), 79–81. https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/2017/15914
Gupta, A., Gawas, S.M. (2016) Parasitoids of Gangara thyrsis (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) with description of a new species of Agiommatus Crawford, 1911 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) from India with notes on biology. Systematic Parasitology, 93, 613–621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-016-9648-6
Baidya, P., Gawas, H., Mukherjee, S. & Gawas, S.M. (2016) Decadal changes and additions to birds of Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. Indian Birds, 11(2), 29–34.
Gupta, A., Gawas, S. M., & Bhambure, R. (2015) On the parasitoid complex of butterflies with descriptions of two new species of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) from Goa, India. Systematic Parasitology, 92(3), 223-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11230-015-9596-6
Baidya, P., Chindarkar, V., Gauns, H., Gawas, H., Gawas, S.M., Dicholkar, V., Pinto, C., Luis, E. & Gawas, R. (2014) Status of Red Avadavat Amandava amandava in Goa, India. Indian Birds, 9(5&6), 158–159.

Conference Papers/Posters Presented: 1

Gawas, S.M. & Gupta, A. (2021) ‘Virtual knowledgebase for Indian Vespidae’, poster presented at Sixth National Conference on Biological Control: Innovative approaches for Green India, Bengaluru, 3-5 March 2021, 49pp.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

ACTIVITIES /PARTICIPATIONS

ACTIVITIES

Activities

Activities Participated: 5

Unveiling wasp diversity: Taxonomy & Discoveries, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India (April 2024).
Wildlife Rescue and Zoonoses, Snake bite mitigation and First Responder Training Programme and Safe snake and animal handling and Rescue Practices along with common zoonotic diseases, Goa Shipyard Ltd. & Lions Club of Ponda, Goa (January 2025)
Wildlife Research & Zoonoses, National Seminar on Zoonotic Diseases and One Health Approach, Government College of Arts, Science 7 Commerce, Sanquelim Goa (January 2025)
Wings of Wonder: Butterflies of Goa, Vidnyan Dhara 2025 lecture series– Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Goa (January 2025)
Exploring Insects, City nature Challenge-Goa 2025, WWF-Goa (April 2025).

WORKSHOPS

Workshops Conferences Seminars/Workshops/Training Programmes Participated: 4

Workshop on Innovative Pedagogies, Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao Goa. (January 2025)
National Workshop on Animal Husbandry for Sustainable Development, Government College of arts, Science & Commerce, Quepem Goa. (January 2025)
Brainstorming Workshop on Forest-related Research, Goa State Research Foundation, Goa (December 2024)
Indian Symposium on Machine Learning, BITS Pilani, Goa (December 2024)