Ecohydrology Research Group member receives 2025 World Data System Data Stewardship Award

The World Data System (WDS) presents the Data Stewardship Award annually to individuals who have made significant contributions to the quality, integrity, and accessibility of research data across its entire lifecycle. This year, Bhaleka Persaud, Research Data Management Specialist in the ERG, earned 3rd place at the 2025 WDS Data Stewardship Awards, the first such recognition for a University of Waterloo staff member.

Bhaleka’s work with the Global Water Futures program - as well as other initiatives within the Water Institute and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences - has greatly advanced water research data stewardship. She led initiatives like integrating water data into the Federated Research Data Repository and creating data management tools for the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. Her efforts have strengthened FAIR data practices, impacting water research globally. You can learn more about the 2025 WDS Data Stewardship Award and Bhaleka’s work using this link.

Congratulations to Bhaleka on this accomplishment!