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Dr. Leopoldo Guillermo Mendoza Espinosa

Researcher, level C

Chemical Oceanography Division

Oceanographic Research Institute

Autonomous University of Baja California,

Tijuana-Ensenada Road Km. 107

Ensenada, Baja California

Mexico

Tel: + 52 646 174 5462 ext. 175

Fax: +52 646 174 5303

(05/2004 – 05/2008) Researcher level B. Oceanographic Research Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California.

(04/1999 – 04/2004) Researcher level A. Oceanographic Research Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California.

Founder and coordinator of the Water Quality Lab with ISO:9001:2000 certification. Our clients include the local and regional water utility CESPE, the federal port of Ensenada, SEMPRA Energy and private consultancy agencies.

Currently I’m the leader of the academic group on Water, Energy and the Environment along with my colleagues Dr. Ana Luz Quintanilla (analuzqm@uabc.mx), Dr. Walter Daesslé (walter@uabc.mx) and Dr. Ramón Ramírez (rramirez@uabc.mx). We study environmental processes related to the water and energy from an interdisciplinary approach, including social and economic sciences.

My main interest currently is to reach the reuse of reclaimed water in the region. Ensenada is one of the few Mexican cities that treat all the wastewater that is collected by its sewers. Moreover, the wastewater complies with Mexican legislation for reuse activities although currently it is being discharged to the ocean. I have worked closely since 1999 with the local water utility (called CESPE) in order to convince the public, but particularly, the public sector about the necessity to reuse the wastewater. In order to do so, we have created the Water Quality Lab and achieved ISO:9001:2000 certification in its processes. We have recently collaborated with Professor Jay Lund (jrlund@ucdavis.edu) at UC Davis studying the optimization of water management in the cities of Ensenada and Tijuana using CALVIN (http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/faculty/lund/bajaCALVIN/)

I am taking part in four postgraduate programs:

1)    MSc and PhD in Coastal Oceanography (http://oceanologia.ens.uabc.mx)

2)    MSc in Management of Arid Zones Ecosystems (further information with Dr. Roberto Martinez at robtron@uabc.mx)

3)    MSc and PhD in Science and Engineering (further information with Dr. Iván Nieto at jnieto@uabc.mx)

4)    PhD in Environment and Development. I’m currently coordinating this program so if you have any questions please don't hesitate in contacting me.

All programs are approved by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) and offer scholarships that cover tuition fees and living expenses.

If you’re interested in undertaking research in any of these programs please don’t hesitate to drop me a line to discuss your interests.

ACADEMIC TRAINING

1999 - PhD in Water Sciences, School of Water Sciences, Cranfield University, UK

1996 - MSc in Water Pollution Control Technology, School of Water Sciences, Cranfield University, UK

1994 - BSc in Oceanography, Marine Sciences Faculty, University of Baja California, Mexico

RECENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Sabbatical year at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of California at Davis sponsored by California’s Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA).

Optimization of water management based on market mechanisms for agriculture, urban and environmental uses in Baja California.

Dynamic systems modeling for the planning of new housing developments in Ensenada.

Development of a bioreactor with Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus for the removal of N and P from real domestic wastewater

ISO 9001:2000 certification of the Water Quality Laboratory

Evaluation of wastewater quality in Ensenada, Baja California

PUBLICATIONS

Ruiz-Marin, A., Mendoza-Espinosa. L. G. & Stephenson, T. (2010). "Growth and nutrient removal in free and immobilized green algae in batch and semi-continuous cultures treating real wastewater". Bioresource Technology, vol. 101, 58-64.

Medellin-Azuara, J., Howitt, R., Waller-Barrera, C., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Lund, J. R. & Taylor, J. E. (2009). "A calibrated agricultural demand model for three regions in Nothern Baja California." Agrociencia, vol. 43, no. 2, 83-96.

Waller-Barrera, C., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Medellin-Azuara, J. & Lund, J. R. (2009). "Optimizacion economico-ingenieril del suministro agricola y urbano: una aplicacion de reuso del agua en Ensenada, Baja California." Ingenieria Hidraulica en Mexico, vol. XXIV, num. 4, 87-103.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Cabello-Pasini, A., Macias-Carranza, V. Daessle-Heuser, W., Orozco-Borbón, M. V. & Quintanilla-Montoya, A. L. (2008). "The effect of reclaimed wastewater on the quality and growth of grapevines". Water Science and Technology, vol. 57, no. 9, 1445-1450.

Medellín-Azuara J., Mendoza-Espinosa L. G., Lund, J. R. and Ramírez-Acosta R. J. (2007) “The application of an economic-engineering optimization model for water management in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico”. Water Science and Technology, vol. 55, no. 1, 339-347.

Mendoza-Espinosa L. G., Medellín-Azuara J. & Lund J. R. (2007). “An optimization model for water management in the USA-Mexico Californian border”. Proceedings of the 80th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, San Diego, California, USA, October 13-17, 2007. 8795-8807.

Ramírez Acosta, R. J., Mendoza Espinosa, L. G., Medellín Azuara, J. y Lund, J. R. (2006) Economía, población y eficiencia para el abastecimiento futuro de agua potable en Baja California. In: Estudios Económicos sobre Baja California (Mungaray Lagarda, A. y Ocegueda Hernández J. M., Eds). Serie Conmemorativa 50 Aniversario UABC, Editorial Universitaria UABC y Miguel Ángel Porrúa, ISBN: 970-701-842-9. Pág. 199-226.

Quintanilla-Montoya, A. L., Hernández Lucero M. G., Mendoza Espinosa L. G. y W. Daesslé. (2006). El abastecimiento de agua mediante la desalinización de agua de mar utilizando fuentes alternativas de energía. In: Construyendo el Futuro: Visiones para un desarrollo Rural Sustentable en las Comunidades de Baja California. Colección 50 Aniversario de la UABC, Editorial Universitaria UABC y Miguel Ángel Porrúa ISBN: 970-701-856-9. Pág. 289-309.

Daesslé, L. W., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Camacho-Ibar, V. F., Rozier, W., Morton, O., Van Dorso, L., Lugo-Ibarra, K. C., Quintanilla-Montoya, A. L. & Rodríguez-Pinal, A. (2006). “The hydrogeochemistry of a heavily used aquifer in the Mexican wine-producing Guadalupe Valley, Baja California”. Environmental Geology, , vol. 51, 151-159

Ramírez-Acosta, R. J. y Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. (2005) Economía del Agua en Baja California: Reuso de Aguas Residuales Tratadas Bajo Mecanismos de Mercado. Selección Anual del Libro Universitario 2003-2004, Departamento de Editorial Universitaria, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, 221 pp. ISBN: 9707350105.

Daesslé, L. W., Sánchez, E. C., Camacho-Ibar, V. F., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Carriquiry, J. D., Macías, V. and Castro, P. (2005) "Geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Maneadero coastal aquifer during a dry year in Baja California". Hydrogeology Journal  vol. 13, 584-595.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Orozco-Borbón, M. V. & Silva-Nava, P. (2004). “Quality assessment of reclaimed water for its possible use for crop irrigation and aquifer recharge in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico”, Water Science and Technology, vol. 50, no. 2, 285–291.

Ramírez-Acosta, J. J. y  Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. (2004) “Factibilidad financiera del reuso de aguas residuales tratadas en Tijuana, Baja California, bajo el mecanismo del mercado: el caso del proyecto Monte de los Olivos". Revista de Ingeniería Hidráulica en México, vol. 19, no. 3, 113-127.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. y Orozco-Borbón, M. A.(2003) “Reuse of wastewater in Ensenada, Baja California, México”, Proceedings of the IWA's 4th International Symposium on Wastewater Reclamation and Reuse. Mexico City, 12-14 Noviembre, 2003.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (2001) “Organic and hydraulic shock loadings on a biological aerated filter”. Environmental Technology, 22(3), 321-330.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (2000). “Biological aerated filters for wastewater treatment: and interdisciplinary approach”. En: Environmental Engineering and Health Sciences, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Environmental Engineering and Health Sciences, A Joint Effort for the XXI Century, J. A. Raynal, J. R. Nuckols, R. Reyes y M. Ward (Eds.) Water Resources Publications, Colorado, USA, ISBN: 1887201173, pp. 353-362.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G., Mann, A. and Stephenson, T. (1999). “Nitrification comparison in a downflow and an upflow BAF - preliminary results”. En: Advanced Wastewater Treatment Processes – an International Conference, N. J. Horan (Editor). Ritchie Ltd., United Kingdom, ISBN: 0952227029, pp. 57-59.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (1999) “A review of biological aerated filters (BAFs) for wastewater treatment”. Environmental Engineering Science, 16(3), 201-216

Mann, A., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (1999). “Performance of floating and sunken media biological aerated filters under unsteady state conditions”. Water Research, 33(4), 1108-1113.

Mann, A., Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (1998). “A comparison of floating and sunken media biological aerated filters for nitrification”. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, 72(3), 273-279.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (1998). “A process model to evaluate the performance of a biological aerated filter”. Biotechnology Techniques, 12(5), 373-376.

Mendoza-Espinosa, L. G. and Stephenson, T. (1996). “Grease biodegradation: is bioaugmentation more effective than natural populations for start-up?” Water Science and Technology, (34)5-6, 303-308

ACADEMIC TEACHING

Undergraduate: Laboratory of Water Potabilization and Treatment; Laboratory of Water Supply.

Postgraduate: Wastewater treatment technologies; Wastewater Reclamation and Reuse

Students' projects

Enríquez González, Alfredo. Evaluation and redesign of the UABC's wastewater treatment plant; influent and effluent toxicity and its effect on the larval development of invertebrates. MSc in Coastal Oceanography

Barraza González, Miriam. Analysis of Mexican and American legislation related to the reuse of wastewater for crop irrigation. BSc in Biology

López Cedano Fabiola. Disinfection of Wastewater. BSc in Biology

Escobedo Fragoso, Cristina Treatments for the reduction of colours and dyes in wastewater. BSc in Oceanography

Granados León, Juan Ernesto. Filters and UV for the reuse of wastewater in landscape irrigation. BSc in Oceanography

Solorio Zavala, Idania. Market evaluation for an analytical water quality laboratory in Mexicali, B. C.  BSc in Biology

González Moreno, Lizz. Microbiological pollution in the area adjacent to the El Naranjo/El Gallo discharge in Todos Santos Bay, B. C. BSc in Oceanography

Rivera Cárdenas, Martín David. Evaluation of the potential for the reuse of the El Naranjo WWTP effluent for the irrigation of agricultural products and the recharge of the Maneadero aquifer. olas y la recarga del acuífero costero de Maneadero, B. C. BSc in Oceanography

Moreno Medina, Cuauhtémoc Ulises. Scale-up of a bioreactor for the removal of nutrients through immobilized microalgae. MSc in Coastal Oceanography

Waller Barrera, Cynthia. Optimization of water management for urban use in Ensenada and agricultural use in Maneadero and Valle de Guadalupe. MSc in Management of Arid Zones Ecosystems

Ruiz Marín, Alejandro. Removal of nutrients from urban wastewater with free-cells and immobilized cells of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus: PhD in Coastal Oceanography

Garrido Pérez, Yolanda. Optimization of water management in Tijuana and Rosarito, Baja California. MSc in Management of Arid Zones Ecosystems

Hernández Flores, Fabiola. Development of a tool for the people’s perception on the reuse of greywater in new housing developments. MSc in Management of Arid Zones Ecosystems

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Studentship for postgraduate studies, Mexican National Council for Science and technology, 1994-1999

Evaluator of regional, national and international funding agencies like SIMAC-CONACYT 1999 y 2000, UABC’s internal funds 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th, Annual UABC Press Book Selection 2005-2006, fondos sectoriales SEMARNAT-CONACYT, SEP-CONACYT, UCMEXUS-CONACYT, fondos mixtos of Sonora and Quintana Roo, México-France SEP/CONACYT/ANUIES/ECOS 2005 and 2006 and research projects of UAEM 2008

Referee of the journals Ciencias Marinas, Environmental Engineering Science, Water and Environment Journal

Member of the International Water Association (IWA)

PROMEP Profile (from the Federal Secretary of Education) , level 1, 2000 to date

External examiner to 2 PhD thesis of the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Rhodes University (South Africa)

Member of the National Research System Level 1, 2000-2011

Co-Principal Director of the proposal that received the George E Brown Jr Award for better exemplifying the binational collaboration efforts of the UCMEXUS-CONACYT Collaborative Research Grants 2005

Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the University of California at Davis, 2006-2007