The Shared Waters Lab Partnership
About the Shared Waters Lab (SWL) Partnership
The Shared Waters Lab Partnership (SWL) is dedicated to strengthening international water diplomacy by providing critical data and analysis on transboundary freshwater resources. Through our collaboration with Oregon State University, the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and IHE-Delft, we update and expand the Transboundary Freshwater Diplomacy Database (TFDD) to offer a spatial platform for understanding global water basins, treaties, and institutional frameworks. Our mission is to support policymakers and researchers in navigating and mitigating water-related conflicts while promoting cooperation.
Our work encompasses monitoring and early warning systems for potential conflicts and opportunities for cooperation, with a focus on equitable and sustainable management of shared water resources. We employ advanced data collection methods, analytical tools, and strategic advisory services to address key challenges such as water quantity disputes, infrastructure development, and institutional capacity. We aim to enhance our database and provide timely insights to prevent conflicts and foster collaborative governance of transboundary water systems.
The SWL Partnership focuses on three areas: monitoring conflict and cooperation, early warning for conflict risk, and the management of shared water resources to prevent conflict and increase equitable and sustainable cooperation. Through the following areas:
Global and regional data collection
Comprehensive data analysis
Advising, facilitation, and capacity building
SWL Partnership Leads
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Melissa McCracken
Director
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Susanne Schmeier
IHE-Delft Partner Lead
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Aaron Wolf
OSU Partner Lead
PhD Fellows
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Alyssa Offutt
PhD Candidate, IHE-Delft
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Henry Pitts
PhD Student, Oregon State University
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Zoe Rosenblum
PhD Candidate, Oregon State University
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Alexandra Turgul
Transboundary Freshwater Diplomacy Database Manager, PhD Candidate, Oregon State University
Research Assistants
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Renata Bolotova
Fletcher MIB ‘23
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Molly Burger
Fletcher MALD ‘24
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Raunaq Chandrashekar
Fletcher MALD ‘23
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Alexandra Cronin
Fletcher MALD ‘24
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Hussam Idris
Oregon State University '24
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Sukriti Mahipal
Fletcher MALD ‘23
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Natalia Perez
Fletcher MALD ‘24
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Rachel Skinner
Tufts SWM ‘22
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Elias Stroock
Oregon State University
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Selena Wallace
Fletcher MALD ‘24