Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
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Emilius Aalto
Basic Life Science Research Scientist
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy primary research interest is theoretical fisheries ecology, with a focus on population dynamics, spatial dynamics, and response to disease and catastrophic events. My current work involves the incorporation of the effects of ocean acidification and low-oxygen events into an abalone growth and reproduction model. Past projects include modeling indirect positive effects from fishing-induced competitive release and the effects of size-specific obligate predation on post-harvest recovery time.
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Newsha Ajami
Senior Research Scholar
BioDr. Ajami is a hydrologist and environmental policy expert and the Founding Director of the Program on Risk, Resilience, and Recovery at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Trained as a civil and environmental engineer and having served in various policy roles, her work bridges science, policy, finance, and governance to advance resilient water systems. She pioneered the use of data science to study the human and policy dimensions of resilient urban water and hydrologic systems.
Previously, she served as Chief Strategic Development Officer for Research in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from 2022 to 2026, where she led initiatives at the nexus of water, energy, and climate. Ajami also recently co-led the development of the Aspen National Water Strategy for the Aspen Institute, a national roadmap developed with cross-sector leaders to strengthen U.S. water security, modernize infrastructure, and align water management with economic growth and climate resilience.
Earlier in her career, she founded and directed the Urban Water Program at Stanford University. Dr. Ajami has also held several public service roles, including mayoral appointee to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (2021–2024) and gubernatorial appointee to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (2013–2021). She served on the Board on Water Science and Technology at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and is currently a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
She is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and recipient of the prestigious AGU Ambassador Award, recognized for her leadership in bridging science, policy, and society, advancing science communication, and mentoring the next generation of interdisciplinary thinkers. Dr. Ajami received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the UC, Irvine, an M.S. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran.
