Shiva is a Ph.D. student in Food Systems with a focus on Agritourism and Food Tourism. Before she start her graduate degree at the UVM University, she studied Environmental Economics for her master's studies and started her professional journey ten years ago by working with different NGOs on sustainable development projects. She also worked for well-known organizations like UNDP and TNA and they familiarized her with sustainable tourism as a means to improve people's livelihood and the environment.

Meanwhile, she researched in various fields, learned more about sustainable tourism, and continued learning in her field of interest by starting her second master’s degree in Tourism and Sustainability in Sweden. She also, studied a one-year course to become an ecotourism tour guide to experience sustainable tourism from a new perspective. During the past years, she participated in numerous projects voluntarily, mostly educational ones, and she received the "Good Citizen" award from the municipality of Tehran due to her impactful sustainable development activities. She is passionate about hiking, travelling, and exploring nature and various cultures and she loves art and yoga, and they are two important parts of her life.

Advisor: David Connor