The fascinating field of behavioural sciences not only applies to humans but also explores social play and cognition in animals , identifying factors influencing them, and developing strategies to improve outcomes in both natural and applied settings.
Muhzina Shajid Pyari, our next pathbreaker, works as Behavioural Scientist and Research Associate at Maueyes, a group focused on research and data-driven cat training and behaviour advice.
Muhzina talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about her work that involves designing experiments to understand animal social behaviour, and using skills like observation, patience, data analysis, and communication, and applying it practically to improve lives.
For students, cherish your curiosity. Ask questions no matter how small. Keep chasing those questions until you find answers. Every big discovery starts with one simple question!
Muhzina, what were your growing up years like?
Hello! I am Dr. Muhzina Shajid Pyari. I was born and brought up in a small town called Nedumangad in Kerala. I come from a middle-class family — my father worked abroad for over 30 years, and my mother is a homemaker. I have two sisters.
I studied in the same school, Darsana, from kindergarten to 10th grade. I was a studious child, academics were my strength! Though I didn’t have many other talents, I loved to dance.
As a child, my dream was to become a scientist. Honestly, I didn’t really know what a scientist actually did. I just imagined them as people with superpowers who could make new things in test tubes! My ambitions kept changing; sometimes I wanted to be a doctor, teacher, or even an air hostess. But one thing was constant: I wanted to be a bold and independent woman. I knew education was the key to achieving that dream.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I completed my BS-MS Dual Degree in Biological Sciences from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata (2011–2016). Later, I pursued my PhD in Biological Sciences from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary, completing it in 2024.
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Animal Behaviour?
During my school days, like most Indian students, I followed the traditional path, preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams. However, I soon realized that my heart was not in those fields.
While preparing for those exams, my mother came across an article about a new institute called IISER. The article described how students there got to explore science by doing research and asking questions. That idea fascinated me. With my mother’s encouragement, I attempted the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) for IISER admission and qualified! That’s how I began my journey as a scientist.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Tell us about your career path
My time at IISER-Kolkata changed my life. Moving to a new city with a different language, culture, and climate was not easy, but it helped me grow as a person.
Initially, I only knew that I wanted to become a scientist, but I didn’t know how to reach that goal. Gradually, through classes and research projects, I discovered my specific interest, animal behaviour and cognition.
During my BS-MS program, I did short internships at various research institutes (IISER-TVM). These helped me understand how different research fields work and confirmed that I wanted to study animal behaviour. For my MS thesis, I researched free-ranging dogs in India under Dr. Anindita Bhadra at IISER-Kolkata.
During my MS studies at IISER Kolkata, I worked in the Dog Lab with Dr. Anindita Bhadra, studying free-ranging dogs in West Bengal. These dogs live close to people but are not fully wild or fully pets, which makes them unique to study. I wanted to find out how living near humans affects their natural predatory behavior. Because they are between wild and companion dogs, they were ideal for exploring how human presence changes behaviors shaped by evolution.
During my BS-MS years, I also tried out different research fields through internships to see what interested me most. For example, I worked on the insulin signaling pathway in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, which was a molecular biology project. Exploring these different areas helped me realize that I am most interested in animal behavior and cognition.
After completing my MS in 2016, I wanted to pursue a PhD abroad, but I also needed financial support. So, I worked as a high school biology teacher in Bangalore for a year. During this time, I applied for a Stipendium Hungaricum PhD fellowship in Hungary and got selected! In 2018, I began my PhD under Prof. Dr. Péter Pongrácz at Eötvös Loránd University, studying animal behavior. It was truly a dream come true moment.
Can you explain why you chose Hungary and how you got the scholarship? What was the criteria? What was the problem statement of your PhD? What was your research on?
I decided to do my PhD at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, because it is a top center for animal behavior research. The department studies how animals make decisions, how domestication affects them, how they interact with people, and even how they respond to robots. They work with many animals, including dogs, cats, pigs, and zebra finches. I had followed their research for a long time and read all their articles. Because I was so interested, I contacted the Head of the Department and shared my enthusiasm for joining. He encouraged me to apply for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship.
The scholarship process had several steps. First, the UGC in India reviewed my application. Then, the Tempus Public Foundation in Hungary looked at my research proposal, CV, motivation letter, and academic records. After that, I had a Skype interview. I think my research experience and clear interests helped me get selected.
For my PhD, I studied cognitive behavior in companion cats. I wanted to see how cats learn from people and how their learning compares to dogs. Dogs are known for responding well to human cues. They follow commands, solve problems, and get better with training, which is why they are used as therapy and military dogs. Cats also live with people, but their social and learning behaviours are quite different. In my research, I looked at how cats play, solve problems, and how their behaviour fits into an ecological and evolutionary context, especially compared to dogs.
How did you get your first break?
My first real break came when I joined IISER-Kolkata. That was where I first got the opportunity to think and act like a scientist. It shaped my research outlook and gave me confidence to follow my dream.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Every journey has challenges, and mine was no different.
Challenge 1: After my MS, I had to take a teaching job while preparing PhD applications. Balancing both was tough, but I stayed focused and disciplined.
Challenge 2: During my PhD, I became a mother. Managing research and motherhood was extremely challenging, but I learned to balance both roles through careful planning and strong motivation.
Challenge 3: Near the end of my PhD, I discovered that I needed to pass a B1-level European language exam to complete my degree! So, I learned a new language within a year, another test of perseverance.
My dream of becoming a scientist kept me going through all of these.
Where do you work now? What do you do?
Currently, I work as a Research Collaborator with teams in the USA, Hungary, and the UK. I’m also a Postdoctoral Fellow (awaiting official announcement), a Behavior Consultant for animals and children, and a Dog/Cat Trainer.
My work involves designing experiments to understand animal social behavior. I use skills like observation, patience, data analysis, and communication, all of which I developed through my research training.
I work as a Research Associate at Maueyes, a group focused on research and data-driven cat training and behavior advice. At Maueyes, we study how cats interact with people and with other cats, and we use this knowledge to help improve their well-being. The organization works with cat owners, vets, trainers, shelters, and anyone who needs help understanding or managing cat behavior.
Our experiments are simple and based on real-life situations. For example, we watch how cats react to everyday tasks or solve problems to learn how they think and learn. These studies give us scientific information that can help improve cats’ daily lives and help people understand their pets better.
How does your work benefit society?
I help solve behavioural challenges in pets and sometimes in children. Every case is unique. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution.
For example, if a 3-year-old child struggles to speak, I study his/her daily routine like how the parents interact, how much screen time he/she has, how others communicate with him/her and suggest changes to support learning. My research helps me understand behaviour scientifically and apply it practically to improve lives.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
Every day brings something new, but one of my favorite memories is when my first scientific paper was published. It was the moment I realized that my curiosity had turned into knowledge that could help others.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Cherish your curiosity. Ask questions no matter how small. Keep chasing those questions until you find answers. Every big discovery starts with one simple question!
Try to be the best at what you do!
Future Plans?
My goal is to become an expert scientist in cognition and behavior and contribute to understanding the mechanism of social behaviour. My journey has just begun, and I’m excited for what lies ahead!