Engagement starts with YES
#CelebratingEngagement
with Mahika Dixit
“I was always quite shy and introverted, so I didn’t think societal engagement would be something I enjoy,” admits Mahika Dixit.
Her engagement experience has since proven otherwise. What began as a challenge became a catalyst for profound personal and professional growth, culminating in recognition with the Student Award at the 2025 President’s Awards for Excellence in Societal Engagement.
Mahika recently completed her PhD in ecology. After an undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences and a masters in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, one thing is clear: she loves the outdoors. “I grew up outdoors; my earliest memory is picking blackberries with my mum,” she said. “I love being outside because every sense is engaged. It’s an all-encompassing experience.”
As she progressed through her education, opportunities seemed to find Mahika. One in particular stood out when she got the chance to complete some fieldwork as an undergraduate. “I spent ten weeks in Peru, living in the rainforest and studying butterflies,” she said. Looking back, she can hardly believe it. At 18, she was isolated, miles from the nearest city and doing work that was both physically and mentally demanding.
Those challenges were completely overshadowed by the learnings she took away from the experience. “I learnt the importance of engaging with the community you work alongside. It is critical they understand your research and why you are doing it, because they have the biggest stake in it.” The community she lived with had an intimate knowledge of the rainforest, and she could not have completed her research without them. “We exchanged so much information about the rainforest. I brought my science, and they shared their lifelong familiarity with the landscape. These conversations shaped how I approach societal engagement,” Mahika reflected.
Mahika gained as much personally as she did scientifically from this experience. She wants to inspire hesitant undergraduates to back themselves and say yes more often. “Do not be afraid to look for opportunities. Apply for grants. Email as many people as you can; the worst they’ll do is say no,” she says.
Everything seems scary, but it doesn’t need to be.
Her time in Peru sparked a focus on butterflies and also deepened her interest in societal engagement. In her PhD she explored how environmental change shapes the bodies of insect pollinators, especially butterflies.
Looking back, her first experience of engagement came as President of the Wildlife Conservation Society as an undergraduate, leading an outreach activity at the Cambridge Museum of Zoology. She did not expect to enjoy it, yet she loved it.
Next, she volunteered at the Great Exhibition Road Festival with similar success. “Everyone around me was surprised that I was good at engaging with the public. It is not consistent with my typical character, but I had so much fun,” said Mahika. From there, she kept saying yes; to an outreach challenge in her doctoral training partnership, science festivals, presentations, and even to designing her own events.
Mahika’s ultimate turning point came at the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2023, where she was invited to present at a storytelling session. She shared an abstract, dystopian tale about nature’s future. “It was the first time I had run an activity without any instructions,” she reflected. “An attendee told me they loved it so much they thought I could be the next David Attenborough.”
No one had ever said something like that to me before. It made me realise I could engage in a way people genuinely enjoy.
Storytelling is her strength. “I’ve been writing my whole life, which means I have spent my whole life refining that skill,” she said. Mahika also enjoys creative hobbies outside of writing, including jewellery making and crafts. “Science engagement lets me merge the two things I love."
“For me, engagement is about connecting people to nature and the world they live in,” explained Mahika. “With societal engagement, I am not just doing something for science, but for society as well.”
Reflecting on her growth, Mahika said, “Outreach has made me more confident. I have learned how to speak publicly, network, and try things I never thought I could do.”
Mahika was surprised, overwhelmed and deeply touched to receive the President’s Award. As she looks ahead to her next steps, she encourages other students to, “Say yes, even if you’re scared.”
Her journey shows that societal engagement does not require a certain personality. Anyone can do it. “It’s such an incredible experience to share something you love and see other people love it too."
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