About Me
Growing up in Nebraska, I remember digging for worms in the backyard, spending summers swimming in lakes, and running around the open fields of Pioneers Park. Throughout my life, there has been one constant: nature. It's easy to dismiss the plains of Nebraska as corn fields, but, with a new perspective, those plains reflect a story of resistance and resilience. Nature is my constant, but nature is constantly changing. While our planet is skilled at adaptation and evolution, it is in crisis.
Climate change poses multidimensional challenges, demanding an intersectional and interdisciplinary response. Whether it's facilitating bilateral water management discussions with the United Nations or teaching teenagers about coral bleaching, my work aims to help communities assess their climate-related risks, translate data into action, and inform pathways for sustainable and equitable resource management.
Guided by the belief that climate is personal, I hope to continually empower individuals to establish their connection with nature, identify themselves as part of the solution to climate change, and mobilize their communities toward a cleaner and more equitable future.
What feels so distant is right at home, and we have the opportunity to give back to our planet.
Research & Professional Interests
Human & Environmental Health | Water Management & Policy | GIS & Environmental Modeling Marine Conservation | Science Communication
During my undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, my research engagements focused on water quality, precipitation changes, and environmental justice related to human and environmental health. Methods included regional, high-resolution Earth systems modeling, cross-sectional analysis of U.S. census tract Environmental Justice data, and stakeholder analysis via informational interviews.
At the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, I assisted with the conclusion of the Water Scarcity Programme (WSP). Implemented across six countries, the WSP aimed to help country governments and food producers prepare for a productive future with less water, larger populations, and intensified climate change impacts. The primary outputs of the WSP include water accounting training, water tenure assessments, national water scarcity action plans, and regional collaborations for knowledge sharing and collective action.
In the future, I hope to study the role of waterborne pathogen exposure in crises, including tropical storms, flooding, violence, and displacement. I also seek to investigate the role of equity in natural disaster response, particularly for sexual and gender minorities. Ultimately, my goal is to design and implement climate resiliency plans from risk assessment to natural disaster response while centralizing the health and safety of all individuals.
Relevant Experience and Skills
Let's Connect
Send me an email at ambarry@unc.edu