Sayantan Samui is a Ph.D. Researcher in International Development Studies at Utrecht University. His doctoral research examines intergenerational adaptation to environmental changes in the India-Bangladesh cross-border Delta (Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta). Utilizing a mixed-methods approach—integrating qualitative life histories with geospatial analysis—his work explores the complex interplay between macro-level environmental shifts and governance-related changes with micro-level dynamics, including generational changes in cognitive drivers (values, beliefs & norms) and household adaptation strategies (through migration or through place-based adaptation/non-migration). His research provides critical longitudinal insights into sustainable development within South Asia’s climate-vulnerable landscapes.

Broadly, Sayantan’s research interests lie at the intersection of climate change adaptation, water security, and the temporal dimensions of livelihoods in the Global South. Prior to his PhD, he was a Researcher at the GCRF Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub, where he specialized in identifying sources of river pollution through participatory geospatial mapping and in the economic valuation of wastewater reuse. He has also conducted research on the social vulnerability assessment of Himalayan communities to Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Methodologically, he uses a mixed-method approach (qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial methods). 
 

He holds a Master’s in Development Studies from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela (India) and a Bachelor’s in Geography from Presidency University, Kolkata (India).