My story by 2008 alumnus José Ramirez

My name is Jose Humberto Ramirez Leyva. Born in Sinaloa, close to the coast line of the Gulf or California. Since child, I saw how water quality on the bodies of water close to my hometown was decreasing and affected by the pollution of nutrients.

With the support of my family and supervision of my mother who is a prominent microbiologist, I started a research project with the goal to decrease the nutrients pollution in my area using macroalgae. In 2008, I obtained the first place on the national step and Finalist on the SJWP. Since then, my life changed. Motivated by the experience during the WWW, I kept working on the water and clean energy sector. Regarding my education, I m a chemical engineer by Universidad de las Americas Puebla (Mexico), and Master on Energy and Environment Engineering by University of Calgary (Canada). In addition, I worked in the research Group of Dr. Guillermo Ruiz on Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technology division.

During my professional development I worked for BASF in Mexico during my undergrad studies as an intern in the laboratory of the wastewater treatment plant. Then, for Cplantae as Engineering director before I went to Canada perusing my Graduate education.

As entrepreneur, two green start-ups have been funded under my leadership: TECAM in Mexico and ETAC in Canada. Both offer environmental solutions employing nanotechnology. One of them is currently accelerated in the Silicon Valley ecosystem by the Sustainable Oceans Alliance and was recently mentioned by Forbes during this summer.

I must recognize that many of successful moments on my career are linked on my mind and hearth to the memories on Sweden during the SJWP on 2008.  There, I was totally inspired by Dr. Blanca Jimenez, a Mexican researcher who had been previously awarded by the King Carl XVI Gustaf. Her teaching was transcendental on my life. I can clearly remember many of the moments during WWW ´08, people and events, including our last meeting with organizers after the Gala dinner. They took us for swimming at midnight, just hours before I went back to my country.

My company in Mexico not only offer solutions for our costumers, but also, we do research and environmental monitoring. I m now mentor of junior projects which apply for the SJWP. Two of them have been finalists obtaining the third and fourth place on the national step 2017.