Few issues are as contentious in the American West than disputes over water. Jordan Jimmie is pursuing a Ph.D. in water resource engineering, along with a master’s in biological and ecological engineering, 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’s degree in environmental hydrology and water resources at the University of Arizona and a master’s in forestry from the University of Montana, where he focused on tribal water policy.
Jimmie is continuing his education in the Oregon State Graduate School 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. “Knowing what the water laws and policies are and the science behind them will hugely benefit tribes in the future.”
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