Dr. Suparana Katyaini is an interdisciplinary socio-ecological researcher with a specialisation in water resources governance. She brings together natural and social sciences aspects to bridge the knowledge and governance divide. Her focal areas are the water-food-energy nexus for advancing resource security, sustainable and inclusive development, and mainstreaming climate action in the water sector.

Before joining CEEW, she was an Assistant Professor (Natural Resources and Governance) at Tata Institute of Social Sciences Hyderabad, where she built the capacity of M.A. students on socio-ecological research, approaches to conservation and development, and understanding climate change. She also developed a research project on ‘Higher Education on Climate Change and Sustainable Development’ as a part of the Climate U network.

Her post-doctoral research on representing people vulnerable to disaster risk for advancing inclusive development was a collaborative effort between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, and Wageningen University, The Netherlands. With her keen interest in exploring the gender and water thematic area, she received the inaugural Vera Thiess Fellowship from the International River Foundation, Australia. Through the fellowship, she documented indigenous women's voices on advancing female participation in river and water management from the Brahmaputra basin.

She has a doctoral degree from IIT Guwahati on ‘Science-Policy Interface to Mitigate Water Scarcity in India: An Assessment of Virtual Water Flows’ which looked at the issue of water scarcity through the lens of water-food nexus. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring remote locations and learning about the everyday lives of people, and their connection with nature.