Report on Bria Jamison’s Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals in Water and Energy Policy

1.0 Introduction: Integrating Environmental Engineering with Global Sustainability Objectives

This report details the career and contributions of Bria Jamison, an environmental engineer whose work directly addresses several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her professional trajectory, from early-career consulting to a fellowship at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), demonstrates a focused effort on advancing technologies and policies at the water-energy nexus. This work is critical for achieving sustainable infrastructure, ensuring resource security, and fostering climate resilience, aligning with key global targets.

2.0 Foundational Motivations and Educational Background

Ms. Jamison’s commitment to resource management is rooted in her upbringing in Bakersfield, California. Her early observations of the regional interdependence of water, energy, and economic stability provided a practical understanding of core SDG principles.

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) & SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Witnessing the “No Water, No Jobs” reality in the Central Valley established a direct link between water scarcity and local livelihoods.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The proximity of oil wells to productive farmland highlighted the competing resource demands affecting global food supply chains.

Her academic path at the University of Southern California, culminating in a master’s degree in Green Technologies Engineering, provided the technical foundation to address these interconnected challenges on a national and global scale.

3.0 Professional Trajectory and Impact on Sustainable Infrastructure

Ms. Jamison’s career progression reflects a strategic shift from remediation of past environmental damage to the development of future-focused, sustainable systems.

1. Environmental Consulting (Ramboll): Her work on contaminated site remediation directly supported SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by addressing polluted groundwater and soil, thereby protecting public health and restoring land for safe use. This role underscored the necessity of multi-stakeholder collaboration to implement effective environmental solutions.
2. AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (U.S. DOE): As a fellow in the Industrial Technologies Office, Ms. Jamison contributes to national strategy for sustainable resource management. Her work on the Water-Energy Team is central to advancing SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by identifying and supporting the next generation of resilient water infrastructure.
3. Future Role (Amazon Web Services): Her upcoming position as a critical infrastructure water engineer will involve applying these principles to support the sustainability of data center fleets, a critical component of modern global infrastructure.

4.0 Advancing Technologies for the Water-Energy Nexus

At the DOE, Ms. Jamison’s focus is on directing federal funding toward research and development of advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies. The primary objectives of this work align directly with multiple SDGs.

4.1 Core Technological Goals

• Energy Efficiency: Developing less energy-intensive water treatment systems contributes to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and reduces the carbon footprint of the water sector.
• Climate Resilience: Creating robust systems addresses the increasing pressures of drought and climate change, a key target of SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Water Security and Reuse: Promoting innovations like potable water reuse (turning wastewater into drinking water) is a critical strategy for SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and promotes circular economy principles under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
• Infrastructure Innovation: Exploring concepts such as repurposing idle oil wells for energy storage exemplifies the innovative thinking required for SDG 9.

5.0 Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Achieving the SDGs

Bria Jamison’s work exemplifies a comprehensive approach to sustainable development. By operating at the intersection of technology, policy, and industry, she addresses the complex interdependencies between water, energy, food security, and economic stability. Her focus on developing and scaling solutions that serve diverse stakeholders—from farmers in the Central Valley to global technology firms—is essential for creating lasting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Her career demonstrates that technical expertise, when combined with a deep understanding of social and economic systems, is fundamental to building a sustainable and resilient future.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The article’s core focus is on water management, including drought, water scarcity, advanced wastewater treatment, and potable water reuse. Bria Jamison’s work directly addresses the challenges of ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article repeatedly emphasizes the “water-energy nexus,” highlighting that water treatment and distribution are energy-intensive. Jamison’s work aims to make these systems “more energy-efficient,” which is central to SDG 7.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: The development and funding of “advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies” and laying “the groundwork for the next generation of infrastructure” are key themes. This directly relates to building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The article discusses making water systems “resilient in the face of climate and resource pressures” like drought. This work is crucial for helping communities adapt to climate change and protect their essential services.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article connects water scarcity directly to agriculture and food security, noting that the Central Valley is a “productive agricultural region” and that “Agriculture remains the foundation of food security but requires large water inputs.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution and increasing safe reuse.
   • The article discusses Jamison’s past work on “contaminated site remediation, managing projects that often involved polluted groundwater or soil.” Her current work focuses on “advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies” and promoting “potable water reuse – wastewater into drinking water.”
2. Target 6.4: Substantially increase water-use efficiency and address water scarcity.
   • The article opens by describing drought and signs warning “No Water, No Jobs.” It highlights the need to “allocate it intelligently” and support agriculture in “regions already facing scarcity,” which points directly to improving water-use efficiency.
3. Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
   • Jamison’s team at the Department of Energy works to make water and wastewater systems “more energy-efficient.” The example of data centers consuming “vast amounts of both energy and water” underscores the need for such efficiency improvements.
4. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
   • The stated goal of Jamison’s work is to make systems “resilient in the face of climate and resource pressures” and to lay “the groundwork for the next generation of infrastructure,” which aligns perfectly with this target.
5. Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices.
   • The article explicitly mentions the desire to see “technologies like water reuse implemented in the Central Valley, where they could directly support farmers and communities,” which is a strategy to create more resilient agricultural practices in a water-scarce region.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Investment in Research and Development:
   • The article states that Jamison’s team “directs federal funding toward research and development of advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies.” The amount of funding allocated and the number of technologies supported serve as direct indicators of progress in innovation (relevant to Targets 7.a and 9.5).
2. Adoption of New Technologies:
   • The article implies that a measure of success would be the implementation of new solutions. An indicator would be the rate of adoption of “potable water reuse” systems or the number of infrastructure projects, like repurposing “idle oil wells… for energy storage,” that move from “concept to impact.”
3. Increased System Efficiency:
   • A key goal is to make systems “more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and resilient.” Progress could be measured by the reduction in energy consumption per unit of treated water (kWh/m³) or the reduction in operational costs for water utilities adopting these new technologies.
4. Remediation of Contaminated Sites:
   • Jamison’s past work in “contaminated site remediation” implies an indicator related to the number of sites cleaned or the reduction in the volume of “polluted groundwater or soil,” which measures progress in improving water quality (Target 6.3).

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: viterbischool.usc.edu