Cathie Wells

Research Fellow - Public Sector

A brief statement about your experience at Walker and how it has influenced your career

At the Walker Institute I offered advice on climate change adaptation at the highest level to governments of countries where climate change is already having an effect on the populace.

Using a synergy of peer reviewed research, statistics, climate projections and news reports, I played my part in piecing together plausible futures for different regions within countries. After this, risk assessment and adaptation advice could be discussed with stakeholders and reports written to aid decision makers. I was also involved in the launch of a project with the Sightsavers charity, assessing the effects of a warming climate in Malawi on neglected tropic diseases and how these interact with other factors such as healthcare, food and water availability, livelihoods and biodiversity.

This work was fascinating and extremely impactful, which made talking about it to various audiences from school and university students to town councils and academic conferences very enjoyable. We also engaged with a global audience through the My Climate Risk Interdisciplinary Reading Group which hosts a wide range of speakers for monthly discussion groups. I am now working for the UK government as a mathematician.