The Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) has proclaimed that Daniela Giardina has been appointed as the new executive director of J-WAFS. Giardina assumed her responsibilities at the onset of the autumn semester, succeeding founding executive director Renee J. Robins ’83, who is heading into retirement after guiding the program since its establishment in 2014.
“Daniela possesses extensive expertise in water and food security, as well as remarkable management and leadership attributes,” remarks Robins. “Since our initial meeting nearly 10 years ago, I have been continually impressed by her dedication to addressing global water and food issues through research and innovation. I am thrilled to know that I will be entrusting J-WAFS to her skilled and knowledgeable hands.”
A decade of influence
J-WAFS propels research, innovation, and cooperation to resolve worldwide water and food system issues. The objective of J-WAFS is to guarantee secure and resilient sources of water and food to fulfill the increasing local and global demands of a rapidly expanding population on a quickly evolving planet. J-WAFS funding prospects are accessible to researchers across all MIT departments, laboratories, and centers, covering all disciplines. Backed research endeavors encompass fields such as engineering, science, technology, business, social studies, economics, architecture, urban planning, and beyond. Activities related to J-WAFS research encompass early-stage projects, sponsored inquiries, commercialization efforts, student initiatives and mentorship, events that bring together local and international experts, and collaborative projects on a global scale.
The worldwide crisis involving water, food, and climate renders J-WAFS’ efforts both relevant and pressing. Researchers supported by J-WAFS are delivering practical, immediate solutions and outcomes. Since its inception, J-WAFS has allocated nearly $26 million in grants, fellowships, and awards to the MIT community, assisting about 10 percent of MIT’s faculty and 300 students, postdoctoral researchers, and research personnel across 40 MIT divisions, labs, and centers. The grants awarded by J-WAFS have also enabled researchers to establish 13 startups and secure over $25 million in subsequent funding.
Giardina arrives at J-WAFS during a thrilling phase in the program’s journey; in the spring, J-WAFS celebrated 10 years of endorsing water and food research at MIT. This milestone was honored during a special gathering attended by MIT leaders, researchers, students, staff, donors, and other members of the J-WAFS community. As J-WAFS embarks on its second decade, the enthusiasm and opportunities for water and food research continue to expand. “I am genuinely privileged to join J-WAFS at such a crucial juncture,” expresses Giardina.
Translating research into practical application
Giardina boasts nearly 20 years of experience collaborating with NGOs and research institutions on humanitarian and development initiatives. Her work has transported her to Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Central and Southeast Asia, where she concentrated on projects related to water and food security. She has executed technical training and assessments, and overseen projects from design to execution, including monitoring and evaluation.
Giardina transitions to MIT from Oxfam America, where she led initiatives focused on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience, developing methods to empower local leadership, community-based disaster risk management, and proactive measures. In her role at Oxfam, she managed multimillion-dollar initiatives, supervised international teams, handled complex donor portfolios, and ensured stringent monitoring across various programs. She connected practical research with community-driven implementation, notably by collaborating with MIT’s D-Lab to launch an innovation center in rural El Salvador. Her background will steer J-WAFS as it seeks impactful research that significantly influences the community.
Apart from program implementation, Giardina has made strategic contributions to shaping Oxfam’s global disaster risk reduction strategies and representing the organization at high-profile U.N. and academic conferences. She is multilingual and skilled in forging partnerships across diverse cultures, having collaborated with governments, funders, and community organizations to enhance resilience and promote equitable access to water and food.
Giardina earned her PhD in sustainable development from the University of Brescia in Italy. She also possesses a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the Politecnico of Milan in Italy and has been a chartered engineer since 2005 (equivalent to a professional engineering license in the United States). Additionally, she serves as vice chair of the Boston Network for International Development, a nonprofit organization that connects and strengthens Boston’s global development network.
“I have witnessed firsthand how climate change, resource mismanagement, and inequity are eroding water and food security globally,” states Giardina. “What particularly excites me about J-WAFS is its interdisciplinary method in creating impactful collaborations to tackle many of these issues through research and innovation. I am eager to contribute to amplifying J-WAFS’ impact by enhancing existing programs, formulating new initiatives, and developing strategic partnerships that translate MIT’s pioneering research into tangible solutions,” she adds.
A legacy of leadership
Renee Robins will conclude her tenure with over 23 years of service to MIT. Years prior to joining the staff, she graduated from MIT with bachelor’s degrees in both biology and humanities/anthropology. Subsequently, she attained a master’s degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon University. In 1998, she returned to MIT, taking on various positions across the campus, including with the Cambridge MIT Institute, the MIT Portugal Program, the Mexico City Program, the Program on Emerging Technologies, and the Technology and Policy Program. She also contributed to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she oversaw a $15 million research program as it expanded from implementation in one public school district to 59 schools across seven districts in North Carolina.
In late 2014, Robins became J-WAFS’s founding executive director, playing an essential role in establishing it from the ground level and growing the team to six full-time professionals. She collaborated intimately with J-WAFS founding director Professor John H. Lienhard V to devise and implement funding strategies, nurture corporate-sponsored research partnerships, and mentor students in the Water Club and Food and Agriculture Club, along with numerous other students. Over the years, Robins has inspired a diverse array of researchers to consider how their skills and expertise may be leveraged to address water and food challenges. Most importantly, her leadership has fostered a thriving community, connecting faculty, students, and research staff so they could engage with new methodologies, share knowledge, and collaborate.
At the J-WAFS 10th anniversary gathering in May, Robins remarked, “It has been an immense privilege to work alongside John Lienhard, our committed staff, and so many others. It has been particularly gratifying to witness the development of an MIT network of water and food researchers that J-WAFS has nurtured, which emerged from those few individuals who felt isolated in tackling these critical challenges.”
Lienhard also expressed gratitude, thanking Robins by stating she “was my primary collaborator in establishing J-WAFS and [she is] a formidable leader and strategic thinker.”
Robins is not only a revered leader; she is also a cherished friend to many at MIT and beyond. In 2021, she was honored for her exceptional leadership and dedication to J-WAFS and the Institute with an MIT Infinite Mile Award in the sectors of the Offices of the Provost and Vice President for Research.
Beyond MIT, Robins has served on the Board of Trustees for the International Honors Program — a comparative multi-site study abroad initiative, where she previously studied comparative culture and anthropology across seven countries globally. Robins has also functioned as an independent consultant, including work on program design and strategy concerning the launch of the Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique in Morocco.
Continuing the tradition of excellence
Giardina will report to J-WAFS director Rohit Karnik, the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Water and Food in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering. Karnik was appointed as the director of J-WAFS in January, succeeding John Lienhard, who retired earlier this year.
As executive director, Giardina will play a crucial role in advancing J-WAFS’ mission and impact. She will collaborate with Karnik to shape J-WAFS’ programs, long-term strategy, and objectives. Furthermore, she will oversee J-WAFS staff, manage grant administration, and advise on financial matters.
“I am very thankful to John and Renee, who have contributed significantly in establishing J-WAFS as the Institute’s premier program for water and food research and significantly enhanced MIT’s contributions to the water and food domain,” comments Karnik. “I am assured that with Daniela as executive director, J-WAFS will persist in the tradition of excellence that Renee and John initiated, as we advance into the program’s second decade,” he adds.
Giardina concludes, “I am inspired by the legacy left by Renee Robins and Professor Lienhard, and I look forward to collaborating with Professor Karnik and the J-WAFS team.”