Water Resources

Nargis Mirzaie studies the impacts of climate extremes—particularly droughts and floods—on communities and water systems. Her research focuses on understanding hydrological changes, improving drought assessment tools, and promoting equity in climate adaptation and water resource planning.

Sarah Sarfaty Epstein is interested in landscape-scale climate resilience decision making in California’s agricultural sector, particularly at the agriculture-energy-water nexus. Her current research uses geospatial analysis to create decision support tools at the groundwater basin level. Born and raised in the East Bay, she is proud to call California home.

Natasha (Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe) is pursuing a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy with a focus on International Development and Environmental Policy, and International Legal Studies at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She is interested in the intersection of federal Indian law, environmental law, and water law.

Nia aims to create efficient, solar-powered catalysts to transform groundwater nitrate contaminants into useful products, spanning the gap between research and application.

Vida dreams of self-determined Black, Indigenous, and/or migrant farmworker communities providing the human right to safe and affordable access to clean water, air, food, and shelter for all in California’s Central Valley and beyond.

Water justice policy expert with experience in legislation, research, non-profit work, and advocacy in communities of color and Indigenous communities.

Katelynn studies the ecological mechanisms driving toxic cyanobacteria blooms to further understand when and why cyanobacteria produce harmful toxins that inhibit recreational uses of freshwater lakes.

Cielo earned her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research is focused on hydrodynamic modeling, spatial analysis, and risk assessment tools to study exposure and adaptation to...

Kerry is committed to making good on the promises of California for all of its residents and supporting historically marginalized communities to advocate for themselves and succeed in their own futures’ creation. Their work focuses on environmental justice, drinking water and a Just Transition.