Veronica Pereira: My Next Great Impossible
Veronica Pereira is a PhD student at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and is a recipient of the Bader Award for Chemistry Innovation 2024. Veronica spoke to us about her groundbreaking work with microbots promising to speed up the decontamination of wastewater and improve access to clean water for all.
“…I am working on a method to decontaminate water that anyone, anywhere can use…”
Traditional methods of decontaminating wastewater are slow and require a lot of energy and raw materials. I want to change this, so I am working on a method to decontaminate water that anyone, anywhere can use, regardless of their level of expertise in chemistry.
“These microbots… remove 95% of pollutants in just 3 minutes, are energy efficient and…a promising and sustainable candidate for wastewater treatment in low-resource environments.”
Adaptable hydrogels and multifunctional metal nanoparticles are conjugated to create nano/micro-sized platforms that detect and remove pollutants. The conjugated microbots mimic the actions of naturally occurring phenomena, such as whirlpools and tornadoes, and can rapidly detect and absorb a specific pollutant, removing it from its environment. These micro platforms, which I call magnetic hydrogel microbots or MHMs, remove 95% of pollutants in just 3 minutes, are energy efficient, and can be used again and again, making them a promising and sustainable candidate for wastewater treatment in low-resource environments.
“It is crucial to trust in every failure and keep exploring to achieve the impossible”
To achieve my Next Great Impossible, I believe you need to have a mindset that everything happens for a reason and to let go of fear of the outcome. Most breakthroughs in research occur through curiosity and accidental discoveries, so it’s crucial to trust in every failure and keep exploring to achieve the impossible.
“Having people around me who believe in me… helps drive me during the tough times and remain clear about my passions and motivations.”
My family and friends inspire me to keep striving to solve my Next Great Impossible. The process of gaining a PhD is long and arduous and it’s easy to lose sight of your goals and doubt your abilities. Having people around me who believe in me, often more than I believe in myself, helps drive me during the tough times and remain clear about my passions and motivations.
FAQ
Q: What kind of mindset do you need to achieve your Next Great Impossible?
A: I believe you need to have the mindset that everything happens for a reason and to let go of fear of the outcome.
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