ASU water insecurity expert elected to the National Academy of Sciences

When the text came in from a colleague, Amber Wutich wasn’t expecting the news. 

“Anne Stone was the first to text me,” said Wutich, a Regents and President’s Professor in Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change. “I’m embarrassed to tell you my response to her involved at least 11 emojis.”

But the excitement is understandable. 

Being elected to the National Academy of Sciences is one of the highest honors a researcher can receive. It recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and distinguished contributions to their field.

The recognition reflects decades of impactful research. Wutich is a globally recognized expert in water insecurity, using insights from the past to help inform the future. 

Related: 2 ASU professors elected to prestigious National Academy of Sciences

“I bring theory and findings from 10,000 years of human history to understand how we survive water crisis, and what that means for us today,” she explained. “I especially focus on how hidden social worlds — informal markets, sharing networks, cultural survival norms — become essential as water runs out. With many cities around the world already close to ‘day zero,’ when the taps run dry, it’s essential to understand and build social infrastructure for surviving water scarcity.”

Wutich leads the Arizona Water for All team within ASU’s Arizona Water Innovation Initiative, a part of $40 million investment from the Arizona Governor’s Office to ASU. Her team focuses on working with Arizona’s most water-insecure households and communities while also building a network for community-based research across all of Arizona’s public universities. 

The election to the National Academy of Sciences adds to a growing list of honors for Wutich. In 2025, she was named a Regents Professor at ASU — the highest faculty honor given by the university — as well as Big 12 Professor of the Year. In 2023, she was selected as a MacArthur Fellow by the MacArthur Foundation. 

“It’s a huge honor to know that colleagues in NAS elected me. I’ve always looked up to the NAS members in my School for Human Evolution and Social Change and at ASU as inspirational scientists and mentors,” said Wutich. “I am really excited to help my colleagues continue building anthropology as a four-field science bridging biology, linguistics, culture and archaeology.”

Wutich is now one of seven members of the faculty at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change to be elected to the NAS — the most members of any anthropology program in the country — highlighting the school’s national leadership in anthropological research. 

“Amber’s election to the National Academy of Sciences is a testament to the profound impact of her research. Her work not only advances academic knowledge but also informs real-world solutions for communities around the globe, and right here at home. We are honored to celebrate this extraordinary achievement and her continued contributions to science and society,” said Patrick Ryan Williams, professor and director of the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. 

Now, as a member of the NAS, Wutich sees even more opportunities for those contributions to science and society.

“As scientists, we can be part of an honorable legacy of courageously seeking and telling truths about how the world works. I am eager to work with my NAS colleagues to advocate for this kind of science in the United States.”