Kathryn Sweet Keating, Ph.D., focuses on the intersection between society, the environment, and science in her work as a social scientist at The Water Institute. Kathryn received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in addition to a Bachelor of Social Work from Indiana University. She then attended Portland State University where she obtained a Master of Social Work. Kathryn then moved to Louisiana to continue her graduate studies at Louisiana State University where she received both her Master of Arts in Sociology and her Ph.D. in Sociology.

Kathryn’s research is deeply rooted in disaster resilience and ecosystem restoration, and focuses particularly on their impacts on communities. Her dissertation "Facets of Family Resilience: South Louisiana and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill," characterized the negative impacts experienced by families in southern Louisiana due to the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill using an analytical approach to data collected from studies, surveys, and focus groups.

With over eight years of hands-on experience in supporting ecosystem restoration efforts and the communities of the Gulf Coast, Kathryn combines her academic expertise with practical experience to address the complex challenges facing vulnerable populations in disaster-prone areas.