Humans of Udall: Prof. Gemma Smith
Meet Gemma Smith, Assistant Professor in the School of Government and Public Policy.
Ever wondered what your professors do when they're not professing?
They're living their lives like regular human beings, of course!
In this first installment of our "Humans of Udall" program, we're introducing the Udall Center's newest faculty member, Gemma Smith.
Gemma holds a joint appointment as Assistant Research Professor at the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and Assistant Professor in the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona.
She is an interdisciplinary scholar at the intersection of environmental policy, governance, and justice, and water resources engineering who graduated from Stanford University with a PhD in Environment and Resources and a Minor in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2023.
Gemma also led the charge on planning our recent public symposium on November 12, 2024 titled "Tackling PFAS for a Sustainable Future: Advancing Science and Technology."
We asked her five questions to get to know her a little better and this is what she had to say:
Q1: Define the focus of your work in 10 words or less!
A1: "Collaborating to manage transboundary water resources and contamination."
Q2: Finish this sentence: "When I was little I..."
A2: "When I was little I wrote a letter to then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, making "recommendations" on UK agricultural policy and protecting hedgerow habitat for native species. He wrote back, though I'm not sure that was a great use of his time."
Q3: What puts the "life" in your "work-life" balance?
A3: "If I get the time, I paint (which, more often than not, is finger-painting with toddlers these days) and swim or practice yoga."
Q4: Fun fact!
A4: "I am a jazz and blues singer and have performed with a bunch of different bands over the years, including ska, indie, and a brief stint with some flamenco artists."
Q5: If you were an emoji, which emoji would you be?
A5: "😂 I'm a typical basic millennial and this is my go-to emoji. What can I say? I like to laugh!"