PhD student Esther Conrad was among twenty environmental scholars to receive the prestigious Switzer Environmental Fellowship for her work on water resources issues. The fellowship is awarded annually by the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation to recognize achievements of environmental leaders and their potential to drive positive change.
Esther seeks to understand how collaborative approaches to water governance can inform adaptive climate change strategies. She works with the Climate Change Program of the CA Dept. of Water Resources and expects her research to inform how the agency supports the regional water planning process. After graduation, Esther will develop and lead collaborative approaches to sustainable water resource governance.