Tag: Meet a scientist
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Meet a Scientist: Suresh Pillai
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw A former semi-professional badminton player, a DJ and the director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research at Texas A&M University — these are just a few of the many hats that Suresh Pillai, Ph.D., has worn over the years. While he might not have begun his academic path planning to be…
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Meet a scientist: Itza Mendoza-Sanchez
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw Growing up in Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world, Itza Mendoza-Sanchez, Ph.D., was always conscious of the city’s water supply problems. This sparked an interest in water infrastructure that has evolved over her years of study and research, eventually bringing her to Texas A&M University and the…
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Meet a scientist: Garrett McKay
Article originally written by Mackenzie Schneider All it took was one AP environmental science class to get Garrett McKay, Ph.D. hooked on the subject. The high school class gave him his first experiences with air, land and water issues, and he never looked back. After high school, McKay stayed in his home state of California to study…
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Meet a scientist: Susie Dai
Article originally written by Madalyn Richards As a Texas A&M University professor and researcher who is tackling emerging environmental problems, Susie Dai, Ph.D., advises her students, “Don’t complain, if you can think of something you can do about it.” That drive to solve problems is exactly how Dai found herself back at Texas A&M, researching per-…
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Meet a scientist: Yina Liu
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw People find their path in life in many different ways. For Yina Liu, Ph.D., she thought hers would be taking over the family business in Southern China, and she began her academic career by pursuing a degree in economics at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine). That all changed…
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Meet a scientist: Xingmao “Samuel” Ma
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw When Xingmao “Samuel” Ma, Ph.D., was a young student deciding what career path to follow, he was inspired by seeing the environment and its care becoming a central issue. Ma decided he wanted to help, and now, 30 years later, his path as an environmental engineer has put him in…
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Meet a scientist: Bill Balboa
Article originally written by Jaclyn Robertson Bill Balboa, the executive director of the Matagorda Bay Foundation, has dedicated his life and career to advocating for the protection of Matagorda Bay. Balboa grew up in Central Texas and spent most of his teenage years in the 1970s outdoors, swimming in the Highland Lakes’ rivers and streams. His…
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Meet a scientist: Huilin Gao
Article originally written by Cierra George An associate professor in Texas A&M University’s Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Huilin Gao, Ph.D., investigates and monitors hydrologic systems using remote sensing technology. “I first got into the field of hydrology because it’s so close to our day-to-day life,” Gao said. “I’m very interested in interdisciplinary research, and…
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Meet a scientist: Duncan Kikoyo
Article originally written by Cierra George A research specialist at Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), Duncan Kikoyo, Ph.D., dedicates his professional life to promoting equitable stakeholder participation in water resources management and planning. “Ideally, relationships are supposed to be mutually symbiotic. Everyone benefits from the relationship, but our relationship with nature, especially watersheds, has generally…
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Meet a scientist: Srinivasulu Ale
Article originally written by Cierra George Srinivasulu Ale, Ph.D., devotes his professional work to sustainable management of water resources on crop, pasture and grazing lands. Now an associate professor and geospatial hydrologist at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Vernon, Ale first became interested in water while growing up in rural India. There, he experienced…
