Research interests
- Hydrology and hydroclimatic extremes
- Nature-based infrastructure, wetland and freshwater habitat restoration
- Remote sensing and Earth observation for water management
- Transboundary water systems and drought adaptation
- Water policy and conservation planning in Mediterranean and arid regions
Biography
Sera is a Gates Cambridge Scholar and PhD student in Engineering at the University of Cambridge, studying the hydroclimatic impacts of extreme events on transboundary watersheds. Supervised by Dr. Edoardo Borgomeo, her research at the Centre for Sustainable Development integrates Earth observation, hydrology, and systems engineering to understand how megadroughts are impacting land use change, freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, and surface water availability. Her case studies focus on transboundary basins of the Eastern Mediterranean, including the Orontes and Tigris–Euphrates rivers, where water scarcity and climate stress are intensifying.
Her master’s research at MIT developed a drought vulnerability index for the Jordan River Basin using satellite-based data on rainfall, vegetation, and soil salinity, supported by the Aga Khan Foundation. Sera is a licensed urban planner and National Geographic Explorer with over a decade of professional experience advancing water management and climate resilience through applied research and design. She served as a Project Manager at SCAPE in New York, where she led projects on nature-based infrastructure, floodplain and wetland restoration for city and state agencies. She has worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory through the NASA DEVELOP Program on satellite-based Earth observation and geospatial analysis to map riparian ecosystems to inform freshwater conservation strategies and as an independent consultant to the UNEP, UN-Habitat and World Bank. She worked at WSP Engineering and the New York City Department of City Planning, contributing to post–Hurricane Sandy adaptation initiatives and integrating flood risk data into citywide coastal resilience zoning reforms to guide rebuilding in vulnerable neighborhoods. Additional experience includes roles as a Graduate Research Fellow and Teaching Assistant at MIT, Cities Consulting at BuroHappold Engineering and Environmental Planner at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.
Building on this interdisciplinary foundation, her doctoral work aims to bridge hydrologic modeling, remote sensing, and policy design to inform how land and water are managed in rapidly changing arid climates in particular. By combining geospatial analysis with systems approaches, her work seeks to inform engineered solutions that enhance watershed resilience, restore the function of freshwater ecosystems, and support water security in vulnerable regions.
Department role and responsibilities