Isha Ray joined the faculty of the Energy and Resources Group in January 2002. She has a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Somerville College, Oxford University, and a PhD in Applied Economics from the Food Research Institute at Stanford University. Before coming to ERG, she was an analyst on economics and institutions at the Turkey office of the International Water Management Institute, and then a Ciriacy-Wantrup Postdoctoral Fellow at UCB’s Geography Department.
Professor Ray’s research interests are water and development; technology and development; common property resources; and social science research methods. Her research projects focus on access to water and sanitation for the rural and urban poor, and on the role of technology in improving livelihoods. Her research in California is focused on methods to elicit public perceptions of energy and climate change policies. She teaches courses on research methods in the social sciences, water and development, and environmental classics.
In addition to research and teaching, she has extensive past and ongoing experience in the non-profit sector on sustainable rural development in India, and international development- and freshwater-related issues.