Newsha Ajami, PhD

Newsha K. Ajami, Ph.D., is a prominent figure in the field of water policy and sustainability. She is currently the chief strategic development officer for research in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.6 Dr. Ajami has an extensive background in hydrology, sustainable water resource management, and water policy.

Career Highlights

Academic and Research Positions: Dr. Ajami previously served as the director of Urban Water Policy with Stanford University's Water in the West and NSF-ReNUWIt initiatives.1 She was also the founding director of the Stanford Urban Water Policy program.3 Her research has been interdisciplinary and impact-driven, focusing on improving the science-policy-stakeholder interface in water management.1

Advisory Roles: Dr. Ajami serves on several state-level and national advisory boards.3 She is:

• A member of the National Academies Water Science and Technology Board5
• A nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution4
• A gubernatorial appointee to the Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board1

Expertise and Contributions

Dr. Ajami specializes in:

• Sustainable water resource management
• Water policy
• The water-energy-food nexus
• Advancing uncertainty assessment techniques impacting hydrological predictions1

Her work has been influential in promoting innovative management approaches and governance strategies in the water sector. She advocates for regional-scale solutions to create more flexibility, resilience, and long-term sustainability in water management.2

Educational Background

• Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine
• M.S. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona
• B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Tehran Polytechnic1

Dr. Ajami's expertise and contributions have made her a respected voice in the field of water policy and sustainability, leading to her appointment on various advisory boards, including Nature for Water.