Sandra Postel has been a thought leader her entire professional career. Her commitment to wise and efficient water use and her intelligent and remarkably cogent writing on the subject has helped shift societal perspectives on the challenge of managing water sustainably and opportunities to do better. Sandra currently directs the independent Global Water Policy Project and is a Freshwater Fellow of the National Geographic Society, where she serves as lead water expert for the Society’s Freshwater Initiative and the Change the Course Project.

Sandra is also a Pew Scholar in Conservation and the Environment, and in 2002 was named one of the Scientific American 50, an award recognizing contributions to science and technology. Her books, articles for popular and scholarly publications, op-ed features, lectures, and media commentary have helped demystify today’s water management challenges. And her research has delivered eye-opening perspectives to government and industry alike, drawing attention to the broader implications of the many small decisions that have led us to the water scarcity and contamination problems that we currently face on a global scale and that affect rivers in particular.

Sandra was River Network’s James Compton award winner in 2015.