Harriet Nash is a hydrogeologist, geographer and ethnographer. Her research on the traditional management of falaj systems, mainly in the Sultanate of Oman, started in 2005. It represents a significant contribution to the knowledge of the oral heritage of star use for timing water shares and is recognised by the International Astronomy Union as important to the World Heritage of astronomy, on the same level as Stonehenge. This research has extended to Qatar and to Iran, where there are similar irrigation systems. Her professional background in hydrogeology, combined with this more recent ethnographic work, brings a unique set of skills to the project, including a thorough scientific understanding of water resources in the region and the problems of climate change and over-abstraction.