Who We Are

CWSN was started by three colleagues that met at the University of Texas at Austin. Fueled by passion from years of individual involvement in water and sanitation projects, and inspired by the enthusiasm of the students who participated in workshops hosted by Clubes de Ciencia Mexico in January 2015, they traveled to Oaxaca that September. While in Oaxaca, they gave invited seminars at local universities on their areas of scientific expertise. From meeting with the local students and feeling their enthusiasm for the their drinking water challenges the tres amigos were inspired to help and find an avenue to continue working together post graduate school. Clean Water Science Network was founded with the goal to provide hands on water research opportunities for students from underprivileged communities. We hope to equip locals with the knowledge and tools necessary to improve drinking water in their communities and share the research skills we have developed during the course of our doctoral studies. ​
Anne Mikelonis, Ph.D.
Founding member
​co-director
Anne has a PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, a M.Eng. in Environmental Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University. Her dissertation research focused on the attachment of silver nanoparticles to ceramic filters used for drinking water treatment. Prior to her doctorate, she worked for the international engineering company CDM Smith. Her research has focused on physical and chemical treatment processes of water and wastewater with projects in Honduras, Ghana, and the US. In January, she was an instructor for Clubes de Ciencia in Oaxaca.
Farith Diaz, M.S.
Founding member
​co-director
Farith received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad de Antioquia, and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Universidad de los Andes, both in Colombia. He is currently a PhD candidate at UT Austin in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering. His doctoral dissertation investigates the impact of sulfur reduced groups and other ligands on the removal of mercury from surface water. The motive is to determine the impact of mercury pollution in drinking water systems in regions where this pollutant is present at high concentrations, from artisanal and small-scale gold mining. In addition, he has worked at as a professional engineering at General Motors Colombia.
Lewis Stetson Rowles, M.S.
Founding member
​co-director
Stetson is currently a Ph.D. Environmental Engineering Student at University of Texas at Austin. He received a M.S. from UT Austin and a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from University of South Carolina. While an undergraduate his research focused on the fabrication of nanohybrid materials. As a Fellow with the National Science Foundation his current research centers on the incorporation of nanomaterials into ceramic water filters for point-of-use treatment in low-income communities. His interest in the study of ceramics comes from his training as a showcased ceramic potter with over ten years experience.
Reinaldo E. Alcalde, M.s.
​co-director
Rei is a Ph.D. student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Reinaldo’s research interests lie in Environmental Microbiology. He is passionate and devoted to water-related environmental issues and educational outreach.  His current research, supported by NSF GRFP and NAI, focuses on the development and attenuation of microbial antibiotic resistance in the natural and built environment. He is also involved in projects related to novel point-of-use water treatment systems for rural communities in Oaxaca, MX and has served as an instructor for Clubes de Ciencia (Merida, MX) where he taught a course on subsurface water bioremediation.
Soyoon Kum, M.s.
​co-director
Soyoon is a PhD candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. She is studying electrodialysis and nanofiltration/reverse osmosis for the small drinking water treatment system. She is interested in water treatment by membrane technology and other physical and chemical water treatment methods. She also has interest in sustainable & affordable water management in developing countries. Therefore, she volunteered rainwater facility installations in Vietnam (2011), the Solomon Islands (2012), and Tanzania (2013). These activities were good field works to apply her knowledge. Soyoon expects to finish her doctoral course in 2018. After graduation, she is looking forward to teaching and researching in the area of Civil and Environmental engineering.
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