Nat Paynter
Director of Water Programs
charity:water
New York, NY USA
“From an early age, we're told 'You're either humanities or you're hard sciences.' And that's not true. You can do both.”
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Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Spent his life pursuing a career in literature; once he finally found a job in publishing, he realized he no longer enjoyed reading.
When he was 25, his father died suddenly; Nat realized how little control he had over his life.
Realizing that he, too, could die at any time was the final impetus he'd needed to quit his job.
Went back to school to get another undergraduate degree in engineering; had to start all the way at the bottom, in pre-algebra.
Realized that hard science and math were also just languages, and he just had to figure out what each sentence was trying to tell him.
Finished his master's degree in engineering at MIT then went to work for the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program.
His work took him to Tanzania, where he was exposed to a lack of clean water first-hand.
He's made access to clean water his life's work because he sees it as the world's biggest, yet most solvable, problem.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
English Language and Literature, General
Brown University
English Language and Literature, General
Brown University
Graduate
Engineering, General
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Engineering, General
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Career
Director of Water Programs
I develop programs to help people around the world gain access to clean water.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Non-Profit Organizations
Science
Upholding a Cause and Belief
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Other
Other
My father died suddenly when I was about 25 while I was going through this questioning of my career.
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