On moving on
As they say, all good things must come to an end. As of this week, I am finishing up over 10 years working with the California Institute for Water Resources. This marks over two decades with the University of California overall -- first as a graduate student and then with the Center for Fire Research and Outreach, both at UC Berkeley, and finally with the water institute. There were a couple of interludes in DC as a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the State Department and then later at Pew mixed in there, but I’ve spent most of my career at the University of California, and moving on is bittersweet.
I am really proud of the work I have done on California water — and fire, and climate, and science communication — during this last decade. But, mostly I am grateful for the MANY MANY MANY valued colleagues who helped make so many good things happen. First, I want to say a big thank you again to Doug Parker, who recently retired as the water institute director, for letting me do what I do best (as advised by Maggi Kelly, who knows me!). It sounds easy, but I know that it’s not, so thank you for everything, Doug!
A big shout out also to Mallika Nocco and Sam Sandoval for four great seasons of collaborating on Water Talk — we did that! Susie Kocher and Vikram Koundinya have been steady collaborators on a variety of disaster-related projects over many years. Clare Gupta has been a wise and grounded co-thinker who I already miss working with. I have also been lucky enough to interview, write about, and collaborate with hundreds of brilliant people throughout California, and am indebted to them all. I could go on and on, really, but I won’t. Suffice it to say that I have loved working in cooperative extension and with SO many fantastic colleagues — you all know who you are! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Now, for what’s next: I am thrilled to say that as of next week, I will be starting as the Director of Research Communications for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative with Arizona State University's Global Futures Laboratory! I am so excited to be returning to the state where I was born and raised to work on some highly critical issues in the place that called me to focus on water to begin with.
I will have more to say about this new position, but suffice it to say that I am beyond grateful to my ASU colleagues for forging a new and very exciting path for science and research communication work. Those of you familiar my science communication efforts, and particularly my book Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, know I’ve been increasingly focused on scicomm labor, and I am so happy to have landed somewhere it is valued!
Finally, since social media is an, um, transitional phase, I’ll note that you can still find me on Twitter as @frkearns, on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads as @fkearns, and on LinkedIn. You might see an account or two in other places, but I’m not really active anywhere else for now.
A few other things I’m excited about:
As always, so much great stuff happening the world of books! First, Uncharted: How Scientists Navigate Their Own Health, Research, and Experiences of Biasis is out! Edited by Gabi Serrato Marks and Skylar Bayer, the book is, as I wrote in my blurb “a crucial and timely collection exploring the lived experiences of scientists with a broad array of disabilities and chronic conditions.” Get it now!
In addition, Mary Heglar’s new book Troubled Waters is available for pre-order. I hit that button so fast, and cannot wait to read it — nobody writes about climate change, and a million other things, like Mary does!
Listening-wise, I hope you’ll take the time to listen to Season 4 of Water Talk. As always, we had some fantastic guests including Brittani Orona on water sovereignty, Traci Brynne Voyles on the Salton Sea as settler sea, and Greg Pierce on the Human Right to Water and more!
Onward and upward!
I welcome thoughts you want to send me about the content of this newsletter or otherwise.
I'm going to miss your excellent coverage of CA water (and related) issues, but a huge congratulations! This sounds like an exciting opportunity. Arizona is lucky to get you!