Sera Young: Global Data Gaps

Sera Young is a Professor of Anthropology and global health at Northwestern University in Chicago. She shares what she loves about her work and some of her current research initiatives and then discusses how she and her colleagues have affected real influence in the water space, as well as highlighting some of the shortfalls of water data collection. “Right now we don’t even know the extent of the problem”.

This interview is one of four, featuring special guest researchers from across the globe. The guests visited Canberra in June 2024, attending the ‘Sharing, Listening, Reflecting and Creating’ workshop. In these interview highlights, they offer insights into how they navigate the complex, practical realities of their work, such as managing competing interests of various stakeholders and overcoming shortfalls in data collection. The guests share what they’ve learned from their research projects abroad and finally, we’ll take a look at how we’re tracking to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6, ‘ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’.

Interviews by Safa Fanaian.