Alejandra Rodriguez-Vera
First year D.Env student
Recycle and reuse of materials
I am a two-time UCLA graduate. First, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology with a minor in Environmental Engineering. My minor studies further fueled my desire to learn about water and wastewater treatment. This lead me to the decision of obtaining a Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. The summer prior to beginning my graduate studies, I worked in Dr. Mel Suffet’s research lab. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience in the area of odor treatment. At the time, Dr. Suffet was working with both a private and public institution so I was given first-hand experience on research that would positively affect many people. After completing my graduate degree, I took a year off and joined the working force. I became an intern with a construction company which was in charge of building a wastewater treatment plant from the bottom up. This was an incredible experience, because once more, I was in a position in which I was helping make decisions regarding the more efficient way to build this facility.
It was during this time that I realized yet another problem that affects the environment, which is unrecycled excess material. Recycling and the life-cycle of products are topics that I am not very well versed in, but it is a topic of vast possibilities. For this reason, I decided to become a part of the Environmental Science and Engineering Professional program. This program is unique because it will allow me to learn more about the areas of recycle and reuse in both the classroom and in the real world.