JT Reager is an earth scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He studies the earth’s water cycle with a particular focus on hydrologic extremes, sea level rise and water resources. He joined JPL in 2014. He has a Ph.D. in earth system science from the University of California, Irvine, an M.S. from the University of Delaware in physical oceanography, and a B.S. in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech. As water is a basic requirement for all life, he believes that understanding how humans interact with and affect the earth system as it changes in time can help us to appreciate and better conceptualize the concept of sustainable and conscious living.