School of Geographical & Earth Sciences

Dr Xander Huggins

  • Lecturer in Global Terrestrial Water (School of Geographical & Earth Sciences)
  • Affiliate Cognate (School of Engineering)

Biography

Xander Huggins is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of Global Terrestrial Water. He is also a Centre Associate at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (Stockholm University) and a Visiting Collaborator at the High Meadows Environmental Institute (Princeton University). He co-leads the multi-institutional Freshwater Systems Science Workshop and is a working group member of the Society for Social-Ecological System's working group on "Regime shifts in social-ecological systems". 

Previously, he held postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada) and at Princeton University's High Meadows Environmental Institute (Princeton, USA). His PhD (Civil Engineering, University of Victoria) was awarded the Governor General's Gold Medal and the Distinguished Dissertation Award from the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies, recognising his PhD as the top PhD in Canada in 2024 across the natural, engineering, and medical sciences. He has previously been hosted as a Research scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (Laxenburg, Austria) and there received the Mikhalevic Award.

Research interests

Xander's research covers a broad range of topics united by an interest in understanding human-Earth system interactions, with a particular focus on freshwater. He is a global freshwater and social-ecological systems scientist. Presently, his work focuses on groundwater-dependent ecosystems, freshwater resilience approaches, groundwater sustainability theory and global data-driven applications, and archetype analysis of human-environmental systems.  

Publications

Prior publications

Article

Xander Huggins et al. (2026) Orientations to navigate the complexity of freshwater resilience in social-ecological systems Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X5280S)

Xander Huggins, Melissa Rohde, Robert Reinecke, Sebastian Gnann, Mattia Saccò, Grant Hose, John Stella, Björn Klöve (2026) Groundwater-dependent ecosystems are missing from global research and policy agendas Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X5D22K)

Re Viviana, Theresa Frommen, Adrian Healy, Xander Huggins, Paul Hynds (2026) Socio-hydrogeology: The past, present, and future of a people-centred and place-based approach to groundwater science Hydrogeology Journal Xander Huggins. ISSN 1435-0157 (doi: 10.1007/s10040-026-03147-7)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Michele-Lee Moore, Karen G. Villholth (2026) Global groundwater sustainability puzzles: a coupled human–groundwater systems approach to identify distinct management challenges, strengthen solution networks, bridge global and local scales, and enable pathways to sustainability Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13202)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson (2026) Strengthening our wings of equity to help civil engineering students navigate and soar in our challenging world: successes and lessons from a bottom-up curriculum initiative in Canada Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12952)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, James Famiglietti, Karen Villholth, Michele-Lee Moore (2025) The puzzling yet tractable diversity of global groundwater sustainability challenges Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X56N16)

Xander Huggins et al. (2025) A review of open data for studying global groundwater in social–ecological systems Environmental Research Letters Crossref. (doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/adf127)

Mattia Saccò, Xander Huggins, Alejandro Martínez, Robert Reinecke (2025) Collaborative Science for Groundwater Biodiversity Conservation Groundwater Xander Huggins. ISSN 1745-6584 (doi: 10.1111/gwat.13495)

Xander Huggins, Melissa M. Rohde (2025) Groundwater-dependent ecosystem map exposes global dryland protection needs Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-14986)

Xander Huggins (2025) A review of open data for studying global groundwater in social-ecological systems Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20627)

Matti Kummu, Xander Huggins, Daniel Chrisendo, Venla Niva, Veera Saarenheimo, Vilma Sandström, Sina Masoumzadeh Sayyar (2025) Unveiling global humanscapes: harmonised subnational socio-economic datasets for understanding societal changes and enhancing risk assessments Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21201)

Xander Huggins et al. (2025) A review of open data for studying global groundwater in social-ecological systems Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X5XB07)

Fernando Jaramillo et al. (2024) The Potential of Hydrogeodesy to Address Water‐Related and Sustainability Challenges Water Resources Research Xander Huggins. ISSN 1944-7973 (doi: 10.1029/2023wr037020)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Karen G. Villholth, Juan C. Rocha, James S. Famiglietti (2024) Groundwaterscapes: A Global Classification and Mapping of Groundwater's Large‐Scale Socioeconomic, Ecological, and Earth System Functions Water Resources Research Crossref. (doi: 10.1029/2023WR036287)

Melissa M. Rohde et al. (2024) Groundwater-dependent ecosystem map exposes global dryland protection needs Nature Crossref. (doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07702-8)

Deborah Curran, Tom Gleeson, Xander Huggins (2024) Reply to Comment on “Applying a science-forward approach to groundwater regulatory design”: Paper published in Hydrogeology Journal (2023) 31:853–871, by Deborah Curran, Tom Gleeson and Xander Huggins Hydrogeology Journal Crossref. (doi: 10.1007/s10040-024-02780-4)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Karen Villholth, Juan Rocha, James Famiglietti (2024) Groundwaterscapes: A global classification and mapping of groundwater’s large-scale socioeconomic, ecological, and Earth system functions Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X5M382)

Li Xu, David Ferris, Xander Huggins, Jefferson S. Wong, Chinchu Mohan, Sara Sadri, Hrishikesh A. Chandanpurkar, Palash Sanyal, James S. Famiglietti (2023) From coarse resolution to practical solution: GRACE as a science communication and policymaking tool for sustainable groundwater management Journal of Hydrology Crossref. (doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129845)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Juan Castilla‐Rho, Cameron Holley, Viviana Re, James S. Famiglietti (2023) Groundwater Connections and Sustainability in Social‐Ecological Systems Groundwater Crossref. (doi: 10.1111/gwat.13305)

Deborah Curran, Tom Gleeson, Xander Huggins (2023) Applying a science-forward approach to groundwater regulatory design Hydrogeology Journal Crossref. (doi: 10.1007/s10040-023-02625-6)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Karen G. Villholth, Juan C. Rocha, James S. Famiglietti (2023) Global groundwater archetypes: a new typology of groundwater interactions with social and ecological systems and an outlook for sustainable development Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-8930)

David Serrano, Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Sam Zipper, Florian Jehn, Melissa Rohde, Robin Abell, Kari Vigerstol, Andreas Hartmann (2023) Groundwatersheds of protected areas reveal globally overlooked risks and opportunities Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X59354)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, David Serrano, Sam Zipper, Florian Jehn, Melissa M. Rohde, Robin Abell, Kari Vigerstol, Andreas Hartmann (2023) Overlooked risks and opportunities in groundwatersheds of the world’s protected areas Nature Sustainability Crossref. (doi: 10.1038/s41893-023-01086-9)

Chinchu Mohan, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Vili Virkki, Matti Kummu, Miina Porkka, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Xander Huggins, Dieter Gerten, Sonja C. Jähnig (2022) Poor correlation between large-scale environmental flow violations and freshwater biodiversity: implications for water resource management and the freshwater planetary boundary Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/hess-26-6247-2022)

Tom Gleeson, Xander Huggins, Deborah Curran (2022) Applying a science-forward approach to groundwater regulatory design Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/X5J64Z)

Chinchu Mohan, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Vili Virkki, Matti Kummu, Miina Porkka, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Xander Huggins, Dieter Gerten, Sonja C. Jähnig (2022) Poor correlation between large-scale environmental flow violations and freshwater biodiversity: implications for water resource management and water planetary boundary Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/hess-2022-87)

Chinchu Mohan, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Vili Virkki, Matti Kummu, Miina Porkka, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Xander Huggins, Dieter Gerten, Sonja C. Jähnig (2022) Supplementary material to "Poor correlation between large-scale environmental flow violations and freshwater biodiversity: implications for water resource management and water planetary boundary" Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/hess-2022-87-supplement)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Matti Kummu, Samuel C. Zipper, Yoshihide Wada, Tara J. Troy, James S. Famiglietti (2022) Vulnerable basins for global prioritisation: Hotspots for social and ecological impacts from freshwater stress and freshwater storage loss Crossref. (doi: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-10611)

Chinchu Mohan, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Vili Virkki, Matti Kummu, Miina Porkka, Xander Huggins, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Dieter Gerten, Sonja C. Jähnig (2022) Poor correlation between large-scale environmental flow violations and freshwater biodiversity: implications for water resource management and water planetary boundary Crossref. (doi: 10.1002/essoar.10507838.2)

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Matti Kummu, Samuel C. Zipper, Yoshihide Wada, Tara J. Troy, James S. Famiglietti (2022) Hotspots for social and ecological impacts from freshwater stress and storage loss Nature Communications Crossref. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-28029-w)

Chinchu Mohan, Tom Gleeson, James S. Famiglietti, Vili Virkki, Matti Kummu, Miina Porkka, Xander Huggins, Lan Wang-Erlandsson, Dieter Gerten, Sonja C. Jähnig (2021) Poor correlation between large-scale environmental flow violations and freshwater biodiversity: implications for water resource management and water planetary boundary Crossref. (doi: 10.1002/essoar.10507838.1)

(2019) The role of porewater exchange as a driver of CO2 flux to the atmosphere in a temperate estuary (Squamish, Canada) Environmental Earth Sciences Xander Huggins. ISSN 1866-6299 (doi: 10.1007/s12665-019-8291-3)

(2018) Streamflow Depletion Modeling: Methods for an Adaptable and Conjunctive Water Management Decision Support Tool American Water Resources Association Xander Huggins. ISSN 1093-474X (doi: 10.1111/1752-1688.12659)

Other

Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, Matti Kummu, Samuel Zipper, Tara Troy, Yoshihide Wada, Jay Famiglietti (2020) The social-ecological dimensions of changing global freshwater availability Crossref. (doi: 10.31223/OSF.IO/J97UD)

Grants

To date, I have received personal research grants/fellowships totalling over £200,000 during my graduate and post-doctoral career stages. I will update here only grants received since commencing with GES.

Supervision

Active students

  • Bhattarabhop Viriyaroj (co-advisor), PhD @ Aalto University w/ Matti Kummu

Prospective PhD students, postdocs and visitors

If you're interested in working with me, please fill in my expression of interest form [link here]. You can also use it to join a list to receive updates when new opportunities arise.

Teaching

I will be lecturing in the following courses in the 2026/27 session:

GEOG4111: Applied Spatial Analysis

GEOG5019: Principles of GIS

GEOG4112: GIS Theory and Practice


staff photo of xander huggins