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.
Directors
Anne Mikelonis, Ph.D.
Founding member co-director Anne has a PhD in Environmental and Water Resources 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.
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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, PH.D.
co-director Soyoon is a postdoctoral scholar at University of California, Riverside doing research on brine treatment by advanced oxidation process and membrane process. She received her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Her doctoral research was about electrodialysis and nanofiltration/reverse osmosis for the small drinking water treatment system. Soyoon 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. So, 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. She will continue her career in academia after her postdoctoral work to educate students who have the potential to make the world better. |
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Officers
Tlalli Vargas Martinez
Social Media officer Tlalli is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin. She looks forward to completing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering in the Spring of 2021 and aspires to work as a project manager in the development of green buildings. |