nationality birth_date image article_title name occupation
united states 1954 nalini nadkarni speaking at ted in 2009.jpg nalini nadkarni
 nalini moreshwar nadkarni forest ecologist
nalini nadkarni

nalini nadkarni -lrb- born 1954 in bethesda , maryland -rrb- is an indian-american ecologist who pioneered the study of costa rican rain forest canopies .
using mountain climbing equipment to make her ascent , nadkarni first took an inventory of the canopy in 1981 , followed by two more inventories in 1984 .
