This is an opinion article written by GWSC Deputy Director, Dr. Kate Brauman.

When I was growing up, I didn’t know that translating water science for policy was what I wanted to do. I didn’t even know science translation was a thing, and back then it might not have been!

So, I’ve spent a lot of my career – from replying to inquiries about everything from whales to nuclear waste to interpreting the outputs of global water models – growing in to doing science translation in ways that felt accidental.

In retrospect, all that work has added up to getting to do something I love. So, I also love talking with students about my career trajectory. The pressure to know exactly where you want to end up can feel overwhelming; I didn’t know, and if my story can help just a few people think about their studies and careers in ways that are more hopeful than scary, I consider it a win.  

I had the opportunity in December to talk to students working with TEDI – The Environmental Defense Initiative, an international youth-led environmental group, about how I ended up at the Global Water Security Center. The students working with TEDI know they care about the environment, but that can encompass about a million things when it comes to courses and majors and jobs. I was so glad to have the chance to answer some of Matthew and Emma’s questions about my career path. 

You can check out our full conversation now on YouTube!