My overarching professional interest is in water resources, and I work on both the technical and policy aspects of the interface between science and policy. I study scientific and organizational aspects of water resources management, with a regional focus on California and the western United States. I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), an interdisciplinary graduate program at U.C. Berkeley.

I hold an MS from ERG, and an AB in Biology with Honors from Brown University. My graduate research has been supported primarily by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, and a CALFED Science Fellowship.

News

 

January 2009: Water Policy published, after a very long wait, my Masters thesis work on integration of climate change science into California water policy

December 2008: California puts a stop work order on all bond-funded activities (including my shiny new fellowship). Here's hoping the government and the markets can get it together soon.

September 2008: The CALFED Science Program has awarded me a CALFED Science Fellowship. It is two years of support, including money for research expenses. One of the great things about this fellowship is how it enables interactions between the students, research mentors, and commuity mentors. I hope this structure will further help me towards my goals of applicability of my dissertation work in the 'real world'.

July 2008: The Association of California Water Agencies has awarded me their Water Law & Policy Scholarship for 2008. I am honored to have the support of this group of practitioners and policymakers.

April 2008: The National Science Foundation recommended my Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (with my advisor Michael Hanemann as PI) for funding. These research funds are expected to be jointly funded by the Geography and Regional Science as well as the Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Programs at NSF.

February 2008: The New York Times published our letter (written with Eric Hallstein, "Being Poor in a Charge-It Society," February 17, 2008) in response to an Op-Ed claiming that "You are what you spend" (February 10, 2008).

Inspired by my experience working closely with collegues Anne Short and Eric Hallstein over the past years, I wrote a piece on peer support for PhD students: “Thank you for your support,” published by the Chronicle of Higher Education. [pdf]

Science recently published our letter "Glossing over the complexity of water," written with members of the ERG Water Group in response to a recent special issue on freshwater resources.

Our paper "Do Regional Disparities in Research on Climate and Water Influence Adaptive Capacity?" was published recently by Climatic Change.

Of general interest to graduate students is my piece “How to win a graduate fellowship,” in the Chronicle of Higher Education. [pdf]