Braided and Meandering: Making a Career in Water and Rivers Outside Academia

Abstract

River research careers flow far beyond academia. From implementing and evaluating freshwater projects in the field to advising policy makers and corporations, river research is generally incorporated into decisions through the work of non-profits, governments, and companies. We will discuss the career paths, both planned and serendipitous, of four women at the forefront of river work outside of academia. Robin Abell draws on expertise in freshwater conservation science to lead a TNC team working to both reduce freshwater biodiversity loss and deliver value to local water users. Michele Thieme works with WWF offices worldwide, helping them leverage a wide range of interventions to maintain and restore freshwater ecosystems, including green finance, nature-based solutions, and corporate water stewardship. Ingrid Timboe’s work in international climate and water policy with AGWA has helped bring water to the forefront of climate negotiations. Kate Brauman leads a team at GWSC interpreting water and climate science for national security. Each panelist will shed some light on what she does, how she got there, and how she brings river research into her work.

Bio

Dr. Kate Brauman is the Deputy Director at the Global Water Security Center at the University of Alabama. Brauman leads a team translating and interpreting water, climate, and environmental data to improve national security. Prior to this, she was a 2020-21 Water and Climate Resilience Fellow at the US Department of Defense through a AAAS Science Technology Policy Fellowship, where she worked on water resilience at military installations. Brauman’s academic research includes assessment of worldwide trends in water consumption and availability, irrigation and agricultural water use, and the science and implementation of investments in watershed ecosystem services. She was a coordinating lead author for the 2019 Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a section lead for the 2021 UNEP Global Synthesis Report “Making Peace with Nature”, and a 2018 AAAS Leshner Leadership Fellow for Public Engagement. Brauman received her undergraduate degree from Columbia University and her doctorate from Stanford University’s Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources.

Speakers

• Kate Brauman, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
• Robin Abell, The Nature Conservatory
• Michele Thieme, World Wildlife Fund
• Ingrid Timboe, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation