Elizabeth Anderson is Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, USA, and head of the Tropical Rivers Lab. Prior to her current appointment, Elizabeth had a productive international career that included positions with the Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica; with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, USA; and with several USAID-supported programs in East Africa, India, and South America. She is a 3-time recipient of a Fulbright award—to Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia. Through these experiences, she has worked with numerous universities, government institutions, and civil society organizations to facilitate collaborative, applied research in freshwater science around the world. Elizabeth received both B.A. and Ph.D degrees from the University of Georgia, USA.