Prosanta Chakrabarty (born November 25, 1978) is an American ichthyologist and George H. Lowery Jr. Professor of ichthyology, evolution and systematics at Louisiana State University. He studied at McGill University where he received a bachelor of science in Applied Zoology and at the University of Michigan where he obtained his PhD in Ecology and Evolution. Among other professional positions he was a Program Director for the National Science Foundation and was the President of the American Society of Ichthyologist and Herpetologist in 2023. He was named a TED Fellow in 2016, and a TED Senior Fellow in 2018. He was named an Elected Fellow of the AAAS for "distinguished contributions to evolutionary biology, focusing on the bioluminescent systems and historical biogeography of freshwater fishes, and for effectively communicating science to the public".
Chakrabarty's research has described over 13 new species of fishes. In 2014 he discovered Hoosier cavefish with colleagues Jacques Prejean and Matthew Niemiller. Using phylogenetic systematics, geometric morphometrics among others tools, Prosanta Chakrabarty attempts to understand the evolution of biological diversity, molecular evolution, and conservation of marine and freshwater fishes.
15) Photolateralis polyfenestrus
2020 Named Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Ottawa Canada
2019 Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
2018 Forty Under 40, Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
2018 Named a Senior Fellow at TED
2016 Named to the 2016 Class of TED Fellows
2015 Elected Secretary of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
2011Top Ten New Species Award, The International Institute for Species Exploration and the International Top 10 Selections Committee; with co-authors Hsuan-Ching Ho and John Sparks for the description of Halieutichthys intermedius