Portrait of Isha Ray

Isha Ray is a Professor at the Energy and Resources Group. She has a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, and a PhD in Applied Economics from Stanford University.

Dr. Ray’s research interests are water and development; sanitation and development; and technology and society. Her research projects focus on access to safe and affordable water and sanitation for the rural and urban poor, and on the roles of technology in advancing (or hindering) sustainable development and social equity. She teaches courses on Social Science Research Methods, Water and Development, and Community-Driven Development. She and her students have worked with low-income communities on access to water, sanitation, energy, and information technologies in India, China, Turkey, Mexico, Tanzania and California’s Central Valley. Dr. Ray served on the Editorial Committee of the Annual Review of Environment and Resources from 2003 to 2013, is currently a reviewer for 15 peer-reviewed journals, and frequently serves as an Expert Group adviser to UN Women and UNESCO.

Academic Positions

  • Present2019

    Professor

    Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley

  • 20192009

    Associate Professor

    Energy and Resources Group | Geography, University of California, Berkeley

  • 20092002

    Assistant Professor

    Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley

  • 20011999

    Ciriacy-Wantrup Postdoctoral Fellow

    University of California, Berkeley

  • 19991997

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka

Education & Training

  • Ph.D. 1997

    PhD, Applied Economics

    Stanford University

  • M.A. 1985

    Master of Arts

    Stanford University

  • B.A. 1983

    Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

    Oxford University