Dr. Diego Rosso
Diego Rosso is a professor at UCI and the Director of the Water Energy Nexus Center on campus. He shares his personal STEM journey, stating that he was interested in mechanics and technical subjects like physics and chemistry during his childhood and college years. He pursued engineering and technology due to his passion for those fields. Diego faced challenges with learning math through traditional theorem and proof methods. He found it more meaningful and clear to learn math by studying physics and applying it practically. Despite struggling with math, he persevered and became a professor. He discusses the challenges of being a professor, emphasizing the need to stay active, keep up with advancements, and secure funding for research. The pandemic posed difficulties as industry collaboration and funding came to a halt, affecting student support. However, he and his team managed to overcome the challenges. Diego's research primarily focuses on bubbles and their applications in water treatment. He studies using bubbles to oxygenate the water and make it cleaner. He has ongoing projects related to gas transfer from bubbles, nanobubbles, data analytics, and microplastics in water. He credits a professor he worked with during his years at UCLA for inspiring him to study bubbles and use his knowledge to clean water. He emphasizes that tap water is generally safer and cleaner than bottled water, despite common misconceptions. For PK-12 teachers, Diego suggests incorporating information about tap water's quality and the benefits of drinking it into social science or health classrooms. He believes it is essential for students to embrace the concept that tap water is well-treated and a valuable resource.