Dr. Waters earned a PhD in 1997 in anthropology and history from the University of Michigan, an MA in 1986 in South Asia regional studies from Penn, and a BA in 1982 in Asian studies from Carleton College. She speaks Marathi, Hindi, and French. She has also been a Senior Associate Dean at the School of International and Public Affairs, a visiting professor, and Fellow in the Society of Fellows in the Humanities at Columbia University