Analysis of environmental quality in Mexico

The group of academics who originally collaborated in the Environmental Chemical Engineering and Environmental Chemistry Program, PIQAyQA, at UNAM, in cooperation with their peers from different national and foreign institutions, has stood out for its teaching and research activities since the creation of this Program in 1989 with the international support of the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ, for its acronym in German) and that of the university authorities (Rector's Offices, university departments) and governmental authorities. Currently, both the Mexican Academy of Sciences, Arts, Technology and Humanities and thematic networks (International Network of Environmental Sciences, RedICA, the Network for the Analysis of Environmental Quality in Mexico, RACAM, the Network for the Analysis of Environmental Quality in Latin America, RACAL, and the Network of Environment and Sustainability, ReMAS) have made it possible to maintain the cohesion of the Mexican Academy of Sciences, Arts, Technology and Humanities, ReMAS) has allowed maintaining the cohesion of this academic group, whose activities have been directed primarily to the training of human resources of excellence, within the framework of scientific and technological research projects, to improve environmental conditions and reduce the impact caused by human activities. This group, since its formation, has cultivated interdisciplinarity, always with the objective of applying the principles of green chemistry when interacting with researchers in the area of environmental protection. Throughout all these years the group has trained highly qualified personnel at the bachelor, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels and some academics from other institutions have made post-doctoral and updating stays. Patents and technological developments useful for the industrial sector at all levels have been generated. The academics in this group provide advice to the productive, social, educational and governmental sectors and, through advisory projects, use scientific foundations (through bachelor's, master's and doctoral theses), which serve as a basis for the development of novel applications in these sectors. To give just one example of the multidisciplinary research developed, we mention the sugarcane agroindustry, with which a series of projects have been carried out, seeking the incorporation of cleaner technologies in this very important agroindustrial sector, especially now that renewable sources of energy are being sought. The academic group, with collaborators in national and foreign institutions, has allowed the exchange of master's and doctoral students and research stays for young people with bachelor's degrees aimed at developing specific projects that benefit all the participating institutions and the international academic community as a whole, in addition to generating knowledge for the productive, social and service sectors.