Cassandra Sawtell
LLB

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Based in  Canada
Fluent in English and French
Beginner speaker of Mandarin Chinese and Russian

Cassandra Sawtell is a junior research associate focusing on the intersection of water governance, emerging technologies, and regulatory frameworks. Her current research examines the virtual water implications of AI data centre infrastructure, with particular attention to transboundary resource pressures and sustainable infrastructure regulation.

​Cassandra graduated with a first-class honours Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Edinburgh, including an academic exchange at the University of Hong Kong. Her professional experience spans public law, human rights, migration policy, and resource governance. Whilst in Hong Kong, Cassandra represented HKU at the International Migration and Refugee Law Moot Court Competition in Amsterdam, achieving second place out of over 30 participating teams worldwide. Cassandra’s other notable ventures include an internship at the Justice Centre Hong Kong, where she conducted research into non-refoulement appeal cases, and a volunteer position with Amnesty International’s Digital Verification Corps, where she implemented research plans for investigating, verifying, and reporting on human rights abuses around the world. Prior to joining IWGRI, Cassandra worked in communications and stakeholder engagement in the office of Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament, West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky Country. 

Cassandra is currently preparing for postgraduate legal study in the United Kingdom, with academic training focused on science and technology regulation and public international law. 

In her spare time, Cassandra is a performer in film and television, an avid reader, artist, and lover of the outdoors. Whenever the weather permits, she can be found skiing, sailing, surfing, scuba diving, playing tennis, or learning golf.

She is a dual Canadian and British national and works in English. She is fluent in French and a beginner speaker of Mandarin Chinese and Russian.