Research Student Spotlight September: Luis Fernando Amador Castro

Category: DRTC
Date: Monday 2 September 2024

researcher standing beside a river and leaning on a railing.

Our monthly spotlight on the work and lives of the next generation of water@leeds researchers.

September 2024: Luis Fernando Amador Castro

PhD title: Enhancing water quality management in the Santiago River Basin via alternative monitoring approaches and effective communication

School/ Faculty: School of Geography

Supervisors: Prof. Misael Gradilla Hernandez (Tec de Monterrey), Dr. Gabriela Lopez Gonzalez, Prof. Alejandro García Gonzalez (Tec de Monterrey)

Tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Guadalajara, Jalisco, the third-largest city in Mexico, located in the country's western region. I completed my undergraduate and master's degrees in biotechnology at Tec de Monterrey, Mexico. After earning my MSc, I briefly worked as a chemistry teacher before becoming a special advisor to the Director General of Transversality at the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Development of the State of Jalisco. After a few months in this role, I decided to pursue a PhD focused on enhancing water quality management in Jalisco, which I am currently undertaking at Tec de Monterrey.

Why did you choose Leeds University?

During the second year of my PhD, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Gabriela Lopez Gonzalez through an ongoing collaboration between Tec de Monterrey and the University of Leeds. This collaboration enabled me to visit Leeds later that year, where I engaged in numerous workshops and networked with the diverse experts at water@leeds. This experience showed me firsthand how interdisciplinary teams work together to solve water issues and broaden my understanding of water management strategies. A few months after returning to Mexico, I was awarded a grant for my PhD research, which included funding for a research stay. I decided to return to Leeds as a visiting PGR, furthering my work with the esteemed water@leeds group.

What is your research about?

My research is dedicated to advancing water quality management for the Santiago River, a vital yet severely polluted watercourse in Jalisco, Mexico. I focus on alternative monitoring approaches and improving public communication strategies. I am currently developing automated monitoring devices and identifying the requirements for establishing citizen science projects to increase the spatiotemporal resolution of water quality data. Recognizing that data alone is insufficient for effective management, my efforts also concentrate on improving water quality communication in two key aspects. The first one is related to identifying the public's understanding of water and their preferences regarding communication channels and frequencies to inform the design of future communication strategies. The second entails the development of a web-based platform to aggregate and disseminate water quality data to government agencies and the public, increasing transparency and informed decision-making.

Is there something that has inspired you to pursue a PhD?

During my first month working at the Ministry of Environment, I came across a bookshelf containing the results of a project to improve water quality management for the Santiago River. Although the project was completed, the tools developed were considered too complex for practical use in decision-making processes, and the produced information was not communicated to the public. Over time, I observed that much of the information produced by the Ministry was slow to be shared with other government bodies involved in preserving the Santiago River. This delay was ultimately hindering effective water management. Additionally, most of the information was not made publicly accessible. This experience inspired me to search for solutions to enhance water quality management.

What did you wish you knew before starting a PhD?

Reflecting on my PhD journey, I now understand that it is a path full of unexpected changes, many of which are beyond my control. Previously, I would try to meticulously plan every aspect of my research and professional life, only to find myself frustrated when things did not proceed as anticipated. Nowadays, I continue to plan my daily activities, but my perspective on changes has evolved, and I try to view them as part of the journey. I believe that changes present unique opportunities to learn new things and challenge myself, and sometimes can lead to finding better solutions than the ones I initially thought about. I also believe that searching for guidance from my advisors helped me overcome some obstacles and develop a more solid thesis project.