Four PSE Lab Students Represent UACH at E-SENSOL 2026, Strengthening Women’s Participation in Sustainable Energy Research

Four students from the Process Systems Engineering Laboratory (PSE Lab) at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua participated in E-SENSOL 2026 – IV International E-Symposium on Sustainable Energy, highlighting the growing role of young women researchers in engineering, energy, and sustainability.

Marintia Sophia Barraza Leyva, Sofía León Velazquez, Korina N. Olivas Melendez, and Paola Marisol Gutierrez Rojas represented UACH and the PSE Lab at the international symposium, held virtually from July 29 to 31, 2026.

Organized by the Academic Research Group on Science and Technology for Sustainable Energy of the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), E-SENSOL 2026 was held under the theme “Resilience for a Changing World.” The symposium brought together researchers, students, academics, and professionals interested in sustainable energy and emerging technologies. Its scientific scope included solar and wind energy, geothermal energy, bioenergy, green hydrogen, energy transition, and energy storage.

The organizers describe E-SENSOL as a national and international academic forum designed to promote the exchange of cutting-edge ideas, techniques, and scientific knowledge in sustainable energy. The symposium also seeks to establish connections among academic institutions and the industrial sector while contributing to sustainable development, social well-being, and environmental protection.

For the PSE Lab, the participation of four women students in the same international scientific event represents more than the presentation of research results. It reflects one of the laboratory’s central commitments: providing undergraduate students with opportunities to become actively involved in research and to develop the skills required to address complex energy and sustainability challenges.

Through research in areas such as energy systems, process modeling, mathematical optimization, carbon management, renewable energy integration, and sustainable technologies, students at the PSE Lab are exposed to scientific problems that connect chemical engineering with some of the most pressing challenges of the energy transition.

The participation of Marintia, Sofía, Korina, and Paola is particularly significant in the context of women in STEM. Their presence in an international forum on sustainable energy demonstrates that young women are not only entering engineering and science but are also actively contributing to research areas that will help define the future of energy systems.

Their trajectories also illustrate how early participation in research can open opportunities for scientific and professional development. Members of this group have already been involved in research projects, scientific competitions, and engineering initiatives. For example, Sofía León Velazquez previously earned second place at the 2025 State Science and Engineering Fair with research combining energy systems, process modeling, digital technologies, and climate-change mitigation, while Paola Marisol Gutierrez Rojas has been recognized for student work related to green methanol and has participated in industrial innovation activities.

These experiences are part of a broader effort within the PSE Lab to create a research environment in which undergraduate students can move beyond the classroom and participate directly in the generation and communication of scientific knowledge.

Having four women students from the same research group participating in E-SENSOL 2026 therefore sends an important message about the next generation of engineers and scientists being trained at UACH. Increasing the visibility of young women in scientific forums helps create references for other students considering careers in engineering, energy, sustainability, and research.

At the same time, presenting their work before a broader scientific community gives students experience in communicating technical results, discussing their ideas with researchers from other institutions, and understanding how their individual projects contribute to larger challenges such as decarbonization, energy security, resilience, and the transition toward more sustainable energy systems.

For the PSE Lab, student participation in E-SENSOL 2026 reinforces its mission of combining research in process systems engineering with the development of young scientific talent. By involving undergraduate students in modeling, optimization, sustainable energy, and emerging technologies, the laboratory seeks not only to generate new knowledge but also to prepare a new generation of researchers capable of contributing to Mexico’s energy transition.