(Photo: Chris Linder)
Few issues are as contentious in the American West than disputes over water. Jordan Jimmie is pursuing a Ph.D. in , along with a master鈥檚 in , so he can help protect the water rights claims of Indigenous communities.
A member of the Navajo Nation, Jimmie grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, and on visits to the nearby Navajo Reservation, he saw firsthand the impacts of often-limited access to clean water. That experience led him to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in environmental hydrology and water resources at the University of Arizona and a master鈥檚 in forestry from the University of Montana, where he focused on tribal water policy.
Jimmie is continuing his education in the 向日葵视频 to fulfill his longtime goal of earning a Ph.D. and an engineering degree. He also wants to build a strong set of credentials, especially in the context of advocating on behalf of a tribe, he says. 鈥淜nowing what the water laws and policies are and the science behind them will hugely benefit tribes in the future.鈥
Jimmie鈥檚 Ph.D. will focus on hydrologic modeling as a tool for balancing groundwater resources and irrigated agricultural use. His goal is to develop models for both surface and groundwater systems, creating a reusable engineering framework that can help tribal nations manage aquifer recharge projects 鈥 with the dual goal of improved ecological function and sustainable agriculture. Jimmie believes modeling hydrologic systems and presenting findings in a way that鈥檚 readily understood will help policymakers and tribal leaders make better informed decisions about how water resources are managed on tribal lands.
Jimmie is establishing another model as well: a mentor for future Indigenous water experts. He鈥檇 eventually like to teach in 鈥 or start 鈥 a hydrology program, preferably at a tribal college or university. Knowledge, like water, will continue to flow.
