I study how water moves through the water cycle and how it changes as it moves. I help provide people with clean water and plan for water supply. For my first undergraduate degree, I studied environmental sciences (a combination of chemistry, biology, geology, and physics) and mathematics. For my graduate degree, I studied geology. My first job was an internship with the US Geological Survey. After 8 years, I went into consulting. Total experience is almost 25 years.

What inspired you to explore STEM when you were young?

I’ve always been curious about everything, especially the natural world. I like to see things up close and understand where water comes from, why some areas are dry and others are wet, why rivers flow where they flow. I loved science but didn’t want to be stuck inside a lab or hospital for my whole career.

What do you enjoy most about what you do in your STEM career?

Learning about so many different things, so many different areas, understanding water scarcity. Working with so many different people: politicians, general public, students, professors, lawyers, farmers, etc. Always having a huge variety of work and projects to choose from.

What is a fun, bizarre or insightful STEM fact about your field?

Water is essential for all life on earth: human health and economic development are absolutely depending on clean water.