Sachin Shah, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
BIO
Sachin Shah is a multi-disciplinary scientist and policy expert specializing in water resources, climate adaptation, and global food security. He currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs and Lead of the Socio-Hydrology Team at the U.S. Geological Survey. With over 20 years of experience in hydrogeology, public policy, and international development, Sachin's career began as a hydrologist with the USGS, where he conducted extensive groundwater research across the country, including land subsidence in the Houston region and transboundary aquifer assessments along the Texas-Mexico border. His expertise in hydrology provides the scientific foundation for his current interdisciplinary approach to global water security and climate adaptation.
Sachin works at the intersection of water security, socioeconomics, and climate adaptation, focusing on understanding the human dimensions of water security and risk in regions including the Mekong River Basin, South Asia, and Ukraine. In 2024, he served as a Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he developed national and international water resources strategies and led interagency task forces on water resilience. He leads international research initiatives, including current work on climate risks and food insecurity in Ukraine, and has established and co-led the Ukraine Climate Adaptation Technical Advisory Committee. Mr. Shah has been recognized with multiple awards for his contributions to environmental justice and water security research, and holds an M.A. in Global Policy Studies from UT Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs, an M.S. in Hydrology from Georgia State University, and a B.S. in Hydrogeology from UT Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences.