Guanajuato, Gto. July 16, 2019.- Dr. María Jesús Puy y Alquiza has spent approximately 13 years of her working life tackling social issues affecting the city of Guanajuato from her lines of research in the field of geology, science in which she specializes.

Geologist by profession and with a PhD in Geology and Marine Sciences, Dr. Puy y Alquiza belongs to the Department of Engineering in Mines, Metallurgy and Geology Engineering Division, Campus Guanajuato.

With regard to problems that arise due to lack of water or its mismanagement, one of her lines of research, the professor-researcher performs a constant work to the south of the city, in communities such as San José de Cervera, Puentecillas, the part of the Maluco, Cuevas, among others. Being an area where there are many wells, we work directly with their owners in raising awareness of the use of water and how water levels can be increased in rain shower.

They have also planted endemic trees, especially mesquites and huizaches, "so that they can help a little more to see water leak into the subsoil and recharge. Somehow, we link several lines to be able to solve social problems," she said.

Another of the activities she develops is a nursery that is in her headquarters and with it, can link students to generate a little awareness towards their environment. Likewise, they have links with the environment, communities, fractions of the same Guanajuatense capital, so that people approach the nursery and can distribute the various plants. The trees that breed in this nursery are 11 endemic species, which are: mesquite, patón, pirul, huizache and Leucaena are the most commonly used for reforestation in the hills.

She also investigates with regard to air pollution in the city, especially in the tunnels, where, together with the municipality, she says that "we work on the prototype of a team that will be collecting the PM 10 and PM 2.5 particles, by means of electrical charges and  to have them deposited in a container, so that they are not circulating in the air and affect the people passing through the tunnels, so somehow we always try to bond with society. Of course, several of the activities, they take a lot of time, sometimes it is not from year to year, sometimes it takes 5 years or 4 years to be able to see a result".

Finally, students are also part of these projects through the Research Summers, which helps for their training.

Finally, he says that "all lines of research have one thing in common: solving a social problem." Recognizing and promoting multidisciplinary work.

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