Meet the Speaker: Engineering Resilience for Desert Communities
Dr. Ivonne Santiago is a licensed Environmental Engineer in Texas and New Mexico, Co-Director of the NSF ASPIRE Engineering Research Center, and a distinguished professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering (CECE) at UTEP.
Her career is defined by a mission to advance equitable access to safe drinking water and sustainable infrastructure. A former Chair of the El Paso Water Public Service Board, Dr. Santiago bridges the gap between high-level policy, technical innovation, and grassroots community needs. In addition to her research in water reuse and resource recovery, she is a passionate champion for STEM workforce development, actively mentoring the next generation of engineers—with a special dedication to empowering Hispanic and Latina students in science and technology.
The Chihuahuan Desert faces intensifying pressures: accelerating groundwater depletion, escalating climate variability, and water quality degradation across the Paso del Norte basin.
In this vital presentation, Dr. Santiago will showcase how UTEP researchers, faculty, and students are confronting these challenges through interdisciplinary applied research and practical regional solutions.
Key Topics Covered in the Session:
- Advanced Treatment & Brine Management: Innovative engineering approaches to treating brackish groundwater and managing inland desalination concentrate.
- Direct & Indirect Water Reuse: Cutting-edge strategies that enable desert communities to recycle and maximize every available drop of water.
- Resilient Urban Infrastructure: Designing municipal water networks capable of withstanding prolonged drought and extreme weather events.
- Community-Centered Conservation: Aligning technological solutions with public outreach, equitable access, and citizen stewardship across the borderlands.
- Workforce of the Future: How hands-on student research is training engineers and environmental scientists equipped to solve 21st-century arid land crises.
Join the Conversation!
When: Thursday, November 5, 2026 (Dinner Address)
Where: El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens (Event Tent)
What’s Included:
Full conference registration includes 2-day zoo admission, all keynote and technical sessions, the exclusive Borderlands Jaguar screening, lunch, coffee breaks, dinner, and premier networking opportunities. Don’t miss the deadline, register by October 20 to join the Conference.
