How will you Choose to Contribute? | Bassel Daher | TEDxTAMU

Bassel Daher introduces three major interconnected challenges facing our global community: water, energy , and food security. Focusing on the importance of working across disciplines to address these complex challenges, Daher presents the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a platform and catalyst that contributes to resolving them. He also highlights the important role of science in supporting the development of the policies needed to achieve a more sustainable future for all. Bassel Daher is a Research Associate at Texas A&M University’s Water-Energy-Food Nexus Research Group (since 2014) and Coordinator at the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Initiative (since 2016). Daher’s work focuses on policy-oriented research in natural resource management, environmental sustainability, and resource security. He is particularly interested in developing Water-Energy-Food Nexus solutions that respond to biophysical, socioeconomic, governance, and financing constraints, at multiple scales, and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Daher has expertise in water-energy-food nexus analytics and the development of resource allocation assessment tools. His focus lies in developing analytics to catalyze dialogue, and improve cooperation, between cross-sectoral stakeholders.

He was recently selected as one of 8 young water professionals globally to serve on the Young Scientific Committee of the 2016 Stockholm World Water Week. Daher has contributed to multiple chapters of the UN Global Sustainable Development Report, co-authored a report on “Renewable Energy and the Water, Energy, and Food Nexus” for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and has contributed to or authored more than 15 journal articles, book chapters, and policy briefs relating to the interconnected water-energy-food securities and nexus assessment tools, including with Chatham House and Water
International. He was a recipient of the Montgomery Award in 2017, in recognition of major contributions to the academic opportunities and quality of life of his fellow graduate students at Texas A&M University. He currently serves as Vice President of the Texas Chapter of the American Water Works Association.

Daher holds a B.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the American University of Beirut (2010), and an MSE (2012) from Purdue University, Biological and Agricultural Engineering-Multi-Scale Hydrology Group. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Water Management and Hydrologic Sciences at Texas A&M (2018). He was a Research Associate (2012-2014) with the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Doha. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx