Sandra Postel


Sandra Postel is the director and founder of the Global Water Policy Project. She is a world expert on fresh water issues and related ecosystems. From 1988 to 1994 she served as the Vice President for Research at the Worldwatch Institute. In 2002, Scientific American magazine named her as one of their "Scientific American 50" to recognise her contribution to science and technology. Postel's work aims to educate and inspire in order to promote the use and management of fresh water in more sustainable ways. She has written many papers on water conservation issues, and has made contributions to television presentations of environmental topics related to freshwater. Sandra is currently a Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute.

Overview

Having obtained her first degree, Postel worked as a natural resources consultant with a private firm in Menlo Park, California. In 1983 she joined the Worldwatch Institute, her first project being the compilation of research on worldwide water issues, which was her first opportunity in her professional life to study international water issues. From 1988 to 1994 she served as Vice President for Research. She left the Worldwatch Institute in 1994 to found the Global Water Policy Project. Starting this major project enabled Postel to collate all of her wide-ranging water interests under one umbrella.

Awards

Scientific American 50. Postel was honoured for promoting "sweeping changes aimed at preserving the world's dwindling supplies of freshwater."