Dr. Raha Hakimdavar is an accomplished hydrologist, science policy expert, and space science leader with extensive experience spanning government, academia, and industry. She currently serves as a Research Professor at the Earth Commons and as a Senior Advisor to the Deans at Georgetown University in Qatar and Earth Commons, where she directs strategy and programs centered on environmental
security, climate action, and sustainability research and education. Her active research initiatives focus on water scarcity in Greece, water and food security in the Middle East, and flood risk mitigation and natural capital markets in Indonesia.

Her previous roles include Director of Space Sciences at Ball Aerospace, where she fostered collaborations with NASA, NOAA, and international space agencies, advancing scientific initiatives and partnerships. She has also held leadership positions at the USDA Forest Service and was a Presidential Management Fellow at NASA Goddard, contributing to the development of UN Environment’s SDG 6 methodology and a U.S. government-wide water security framework used operationally by the U.S. Air Force. Her work on watershed health assessments and resilience investments has directly influenced federal policies and environmental strategies.

As the founder and CEO of Zyon Space, Dr. Hakimdavar supports emerging space agencies in the Global South by leveraging Earth observation technologies for climate and environmental resilience. She holds a B.S. in civil engineering from California State Polytechnic University and both an M.S. and Ph.D. in hydrology from Columbia University. Recognized for her contributions to sustainability and innovation, she was a Fulbright Fellow in Water Management and received the 2018 KLM Sustainability and Innovation award.