Victor Manuel Melgarejo Cazares is a PhD student from Mexico City who has found a home here at Clarkson’s Potsdam campus, and is making an impact on the world through his research. Melgarejo Cazares received his Master of Science in Environmental Science & Engineering through Clarkson’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment in December 2023. As a PhD student, he is continuing his research with Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering Yang Yang on the remediation of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-contaminated soil through mechanochemical degradation (ball mill processing).
Environmental remediation, particularly remediation of land and water polluted with PFAS, is critical for environmental and human health. In addition to his research with Assistant Professor Yang Yang, Melgarejo Cazares is collaborating with the Aerospace Engineering department on simulations that have applications for environmental remediation. Many research teams at Clarkson are tackling the issue of PFAS and other “forever chemicals.” If you’re interested in this type of work, Clarkson is the place for you!
In 2023, Melgarejo Cazares received the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers PRIDE Scholarship at the SHPE National Convention in Salt Lake City. Through his research and active participation in graduate student life, Melgarejo Cazares continues to break barriers and inspire the next generation of engineers and sustainability advocates. The ISE would like to thank him for volunteering this past fall with our food waste management team, where he helped visiting families properly compost their food scraps and sort their waste at Family Weekend.
The Institute for a Sustainable Environment is working to feature sustainability initiatives, like Victor’s efforts, taking place on campus. At Clarkson, we are committed to including sustainability in everything we do. If you have a project, story, or other sustainability work you’d like to share, please email Evelyn (laferrep@clarkson.edu).