Spotlight on Simone Williams: New PhD Graduate
The University of Arizona (U of A) Water Resources Research Center is bidding farewell to Simone Williams, WRRC Graduate Research Associate and newly minted PhD in Arid Lands Resource Sciences. Simone brought a global perspective to her work, drawing from her extensive experience in natural resource management and sustainable development across the Caribbean and the United States. At the WRRC, she focused on addressing critical water resource challenges in arid environments. Her research on groundwater vulnerability assessments and sustainable water management strategies contributed significantly to an evaluation of the impacts of agricultural land management practices on groundwater in the Pinal Active Management Area (AMA). Her skill in translating complex scientific data into actionable recommendations for researchers and policymakers was demonstrated in her work for WRRC programs on diversifying voices in water resources and the future of groundwater-dependent agriculture. She was the lead author of the award-winning article Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Water Dialogues: A Review and Conceptualization, participated in national dialogues and stakeholder consultations, presented her research at national and regional conferences, and contributed to the development of the U of A Sustainability & Climate Action Plan. Her scholarship earned her multiple awards, including the Babbitt Dissertation Fellowship (2023) from the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy and the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Richard A. Herbert Scholarship. As Simone moves on from the WRRC, we eagerly anticipate her continued contributions to the field of water resource management. Thank you, Simone! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.