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Tell us about your research project and why it is important to you?
My research focuses on the development of models for harmonic and power quality analysis in inverter-based power plants. These generators are the so-called renewables, such as solar and wind, whose integration into traditional power systems involves multiple challenges. One of the most important is power quality: we want these new generation technologies to provide us with electricity with the same degree of reliability and safety as conventional generators, such as thermoelectric generators.
This is an important issue for me because it is a way of contributing a grain of sand to decarbonization and the fight against climate change, which is one of the most important challenges we face as a species.
Have you presented or published your research anywhere? Tell us about the experience.
I published a paper at the 2022 IEEE Electrical Energy Storage Application and Technologies Conference (EESAT 2022) in Austin, Texas. This July I will present two more at the 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (2024 IEEE PESGM) in Seattle, Washington. I am very excited about the latter because it is the most important conference in the field of electrical power systems, a specialty I chose in my second year of undergraduate studies, almost 10 years ago.
What would you say is something interesting about your area of study that most people don't know?
One of the things I find most interesting about electricity is that it cannot be stored. Electrical energy is consumed at about the same time it is generated. Although it is possible to convert it into other forms of energy and then store it, we cannot yet do so on a scale that would allow us to “store” the energy consumed by, say, an entire city in a month. Increasing storage capacity would help in the fight against climate change because it would be possible to “store” and dispatch clean energy as needed. As this is not yet feasible, and may never be, we must adapt our electricity systems to integrate as much renewable generation as possible.
Tell us about your academic or professional collaborations with Mexico.
Before starting my doctoral studies, I worked on a project with my undergraduate and master's advisor, Dr. Manuel Madrigal Martínez, and my doctoral advisor, Dr. Surya Santoso. That collaboration resulted in the publication of a conference paper. I would like to collaborate again with Dr. Madrigal before finishing my Ph.D. program since he is one of the most recognized researchers in Mexico in the area of electrical power systems and, particularly, in the specialty of power quality.
What attracted you to Texas and the University of Texas at Austin?
What struck me most about the University of Texas at Austin was the profile of my advisor. Dr. Surya Santoso is a world-renowned researcher in electrical power systems and power quality. I knew that he had had other students from Latin America, and that also motivated me to join his lab. In addition, ever since I was an undergraduate I knew that the University of Texas at Austin has always had great prestige in the world of electrical engineering.
What have been some good things you didn't expect from Texas or UT Austin?
The truth is that both the university and the city have exceeded all my expectations. From the very first day I found facilities and a variety of resources that I could never have imagined. I believe that the students who come here, both undergraduate and graduate, have everything they need to fulfill their professional goals not only because of the proven quality of the professors, but also because of the extracurricular resources available to the student community. For any concern or problem a student may have, there is a department, an office, or a university worker to help in an empathetic and professional manner, including the ConTex staff, in whom I have always found support and consideration.
As for the city, one of my favorite things is that it has almost all the things of a big city without being a big city yet: sporting events, concerts, festivals, schools, security, and especially a great selection of international cuisine in the restaurants.
What have been the biggest challenges of studying at UT Austin and living in the United States?
The challenges I have faced are, I believe, those experienced by almost all international graduate students. Sometimes you may doubt your research project, your qualities and even your commitment. But it seems to me that this is part of scientific work: sometimes it can be very frustrating to spend days in the lab or in the office without achieving tangible results. Then one realizes that, by dint of persistence and perseverance, the result comes, and it comes in a rewarding way.
As far as living in the United States is concerned, I think the biggest challenge has been separating from my loved ones. In the process I have lost some very precious people to me, as well as important moments that I would have liked to live. But it is comforting to know that my family is supportive and happy that I am following my dreams.
How has the support of ConTex and Conahcyt impacted you?
I have been a ConTex-Conahcyt scholar since the spring semester of 2023, that is, one semester after I started my studies. That is perhaps why this support was for me as beneficial as it was unexpected. I am one of those students who began their studies without an offer of 4 or 5 years of financial support from the researcher or the university, which causes a degree of uncertainty that is not easy to reconcile with the responsibilities of the program. As soon as I received the news of the scholarship I felt that everything would change for me and, indeed, things have been much easier since then. It is a great help, and I will always be grateful to the institutions involved and to the citizens who look after them and care for them.
What kind of work do you hope to do in the future, and how do you hope your research will benefit people in the U.S. and Mexico?
Since the second year of my bachelor's degree my dream has been to work as a research professor at a university in Mexico. Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, supervising thesis work and collaborating with private and public institutions such as CFE and Cenace are tasks I want to develop in my professional life. Likewise, I would like to maintain the professional relationship with the excellent researchers and laboratories in the United States, hoping that this will boost innovation and the exchange of students and experiences between the two countries, which always enriches both professional and academic as well as cultural relations.
What advice would you give to other Mexican students considering studying in Texas?
I would tell them the same thing my professors told me: today there are more opportunities than ever for those who want to study a postgraduate degree, it is just a matter of looking for them. As for the University of Texas System, we are fortunate that it offers various types of assistance and opportunities for international students and, in particular, for Mexican students. The great support that ConTex offers is definitely an important factor to consider when deciding on a program.
Finally, I would say that the experience of being a Mexican student in Texas is special because the relationships that unite this state with our country are strong and long-standing; there is no better cure for prejudices and biases than living with people who, despite being different in some ways, share dreams, aspirations and the richness of a cultural diversity that benefits us all.
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