In this episode of the Diving into Water and Sanitation Careers podcast, host Josh Newton is joined by Dr. Roberto Lenton, a specialist in water, the environment and international development with a civil engineering degree from the University of Buenos Aires and M.S. and PhD. degrees from MIT. Roberto is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Board Chair of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 

Join Josh as he dives into Roberto’s successful and varied career, which has taken him all over the world, from his native Argentina. Roberto’s career spans the interface of water science and water policy. In this episode, you will hear about his various roles in academia and research, as well as in policy organizations, two complementary realms he remained very active in throughout his career. Roberto shares highlights from his career journey thus far, including describing the work he is most proud of – his involvement in starting up creative, new institutions.

In this conversation, Roberto generously shares career advice derived from his own experiences working in varied contexts. Roberto recalls key advice he received himself once – to put forward your strengths and reign in your modesty, all while being honest and clear, when interviewing for new positions. Roberto advises to have a general career plan, but to be open and flexible in responding to opportunities, advice he has followed himself throughout his career. Roberto reflects on his own growth when he was in positions where he could make decisions and be listened to, and advises professionals to particularly look for jobs where there is the opportunity to have authority, especially early in one’s career. Listen to Roberto’s career stories, which provide the foundation for the rich advice he shares to help others succeed in water and sanitation careers.

Tune in to learn about Roberto’s experiences working for MIT, the Ford Foundation, UNDP, IWMI, and more in this episode. You will also learn about Roberto’s hopes for the future of the water community, and hear his insightful answers to last week’s guest’s questions. 

Thank you for listening! 

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This podcast was made possible by the generous support of Josh’s Water Jobs by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).