Kate Lazarus
IDSC/M.A. '01

1. Please describe your present professional position? Please include the URL of your organization.

Senior Program Officer and East Asia Coordinator, Water and Nature Initiative, Regional Water and Wetlands Program, The World Conservation Union (IUCN)

www.iucn.org/water
www.waterandnature.org

2. What do you find satisfying about your position?

I work in the Mekong Region, covering six countries with a focus on the ecosystems and livelihoods approach to water management. We work at all levels (local to global) with a diverse set of stakeholders (communities, governments, academia, NGOs, private sector, etc). Particular focus areas are on environmental flows, dialogues and negotiation, economics and coordination and learning.
 
Our program has a number of partners and is part of the M-POWER water governance network. Working with such a diverse array of stakeholders is very satisfying.

3. How did the IDSC program at Clark University help to prepare you?

The International Development program at Clark University focused on participatory development at the local level. It helped me to learn skills in project management, monitoring and evaluation as well as participatory tools. I use all of these skills in my current job.
 
4. Why should prospective students enroll in the IDSC program at Clark University?

Excellent professors, expanded program base (in my last year the program expanded to IDCE), opportunities to work with professors in various countries, student colleagues who have experience in the field, emphasis on participation and development.

5. Did you have an internship as part of your Clark education? If so, how did it help to connect you to your current career?

I had a graduate assistantship at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. It gave me practical experience work on international relations/global development issues in contrast to the programmatic focus on local-level participation and development.

6. What was the topic of your research while at Clark University?

The impacts of large scale development on human rights and the environment.