Sera Young is Professor of Anthropology, co-Directer for the Center for Water, and the Morton O. Schapiro Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research, all at Northwestern University. She is also Senior Research Fellow for Water, Nutrition and Health Equity at the United Nations University and co-Editor-in-Chief of PLOS Water.   

Her current research is focused on quantifying human experiences with problems with water, and unpacking their consequences for nutrition, health, and well-being. To that end, she led a large team in the development of the Water InSecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales, the first globally equivalent way of measuring water access and use (www.WISEscales.org (http://www.wisescales.org/)). The WISE Scales have been used by hundreds of organizations in more than 90 countries. 

She has co-authored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications and been funded by many national and international agencies. Her most recent accolade is a medal from the Director of Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health, the inaugural “Public Health Champion Award”, which she accepted on behalf of the Water Insecurity Experiences Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (https://wiselac.ibero.mx) for their work on measuring water security. Other recognitions include the Margaret Mead Award for her book Craving Earth, an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship, a Leverhulme Visiting Professorship, the Norman Kretchmer Memorial Award in Nutrition and Development, and the Scrimshaw Mid-Career Award in Global Nutrition.