Thesis Thursday – Juliana Ordine

I was born in Riverside, California. However, I moved to Brazil when I was one-year old, and ended up spending most of my life there. When I was 15 years old, I was given the opportunity of making one of my dreams come true: the opportunity of studying in the US. Without a doubt, transitioning to the US was one of the best decisions of my life. I strayed from my comfort zone and jumped into an unfamiliar environment, which today, I call home. Leaving my hometown and my family, especially with minimal knowledge of the English language, was an extremely hard decision that encouraged me to manage the uncertainty. Despite the unknown, moving to the US meant more opportunities and obtaining an experience of a lifetime. After I finished my second year as an undergraduate, I found the coursework enlightening and enjoyable, but I was eager to get involved in research. This led me to investigate different water research labs at the University of Arizona during the summer after my sophomore year. I was fortunate enough to receive the opportunity to join Dr. Shane Snyder’s research group in the fall semester of 2016. Due to my strong interest in water sustainability, I was placed on a funded project by the WateReuse Research Foundation to characterize and treat total organic compounds. These compounds were from a direct potable reuse processes and were compared to surface water supplies in the area. The knowledge and experience I have gained during my time under Dr. Snyder has demonstrated the possibilities of innovation in science and the potential for improving the quality of human life. Today, I continue to seize opportunities and work towards many of my goals, including: pursuing a degree I am passionate about, contributing to the scientific community by assisting with research at the University of Arizona, and emerging into the American culture. I strive to graduate with magna cum laude in chemical engineering and attend an esteemed graduate school program to earn a PhD either in chemical or environmental engineering. I will investigate how potable water is becoming more limited in the Southwest and countless other places worldwide, and is a major threat to achieving sustainability.  I want to research the potential human health effects associated with organic chemicals remaining in reclaimed water after treatment.