POP Festival 2021 Evaluators

DRA. VERÓNICA GONZÁLEZ

Dra. Verónica González Landaeta, POP Motivator Mentor, was born in Valencia. She is a lawyer by profession.She received a Doctorate in Law at the University of Salamanca, Spain, where she also obtained three other degrees. She received the title of Teacher Training from the University of Carabobo, Venezuela and has been a professor in the postgraduate area at the José Antonio Páez University, Extension Center, CEUJAP, Venezuela, which has also granted her recognition for her stellar contribution to teaching and education.

She is known for her work in “Los Amigos de la Salle”, directing primary school children, since she was 15 years old. She has volunteered in the Central Hospital of Valencia for years helping patients and also had the opportunity to work alongside Father José María Rivolta Chávez for 14 years at “Hogares Crea de Venezuela”.

Verónica González is currently the Coordinator of the POP Movement in Venezuela where she inspires and guides young people to help them catalyze their leadership potential and take action to tackle the climate challenge. She wants to be remembered as a proactive, empowered, enterprising, and fair woman.

DR. OSCAR BLANCO

With a Ph.D. in Physics of Materials from UNAM-CICESE, Ensenada, Baja California, MEX (2003), Dr. Oscar Blanco Alonso has been a Researcher at CUCEI, the University of Guadalajara since 1990 and is currently the academic Provost at the CUCEI. He completed his masters in Materials Science from UNAM in 1994, served as the chief of the Physics Department between 2010 and 2016, and the Dean of Basics Science Division from 2016 to 2019. Dr. Blanco’s professional interests lie in the Physics of Materials with environmental applications. Dr. Blanco’s specific interests include the study and development of new materials that can be used in energy harvesting, control of greenhouse gases and pollution sensors. He is also interested in promoting environmental awareness and actions against climate change, along with sustainability-based scientific and technological development. As POP Mentor Motivator, Dr. Blanco works towards implementing the POP Movement and shares his knowledge in the global effort against Climate Change by educating youth around the world about sustainable development, and the immediate and relevant solutions required to tackle the global Climate Crisis.

MARÍA CARMEN MARTÍNEZ VALENZUELA

Research Professor at Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAdeO), Sinaloa. México, attached to the Department of Natural and Exact Sciences, Educational Program of Biology, Academic Training: Doctorate in Sciences from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Teaching courses at Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate levels: Cell Biology, Genetics and Toxicology. Member of the Academic Body of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, topics: Detection of DNA damage through the use of biomarkers in people exposed to xenobiotics. In the field of Professional Experience: she has collaborated as Head of the Academic Department of Biological Sciences, Director of the Institute for Research in Environment and Health and currently serves as Academic Vice-Rector at UAdeO. Publications: 35 scientific articles in indexed journals, 12 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 1 Book and 10 book chapters. Thesis Direction: 3 Doctorate level Thesis, 8 Master's Thesis and 27 Bachelor's Thesis. Recognitions: Member of the National System of Researchers Level II, Honorary Member of the Sinaloa System of Scientists and Technologists and Recognition of the Desirable Profile PRODEP -SEP (Ministry of Education)

LIC. NAHID AYALA

She was born in Monterrey Nuevo León in 1975, studied Law and Social Sciences at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, and served as Legal Director of Banco Santander, she went to live in Mexico to work in the Agrarian Court and later as a deputy at the UNAM Legal Research Institute with Dr. Carlos Alberto Roca, later he moved to Tamaulipas where he studied a Master's Degree in Labor Law, worked as Director of Government Planning, in charge of the Coordination of Government Advisors, collaborated in the State Congress in the Urban Development and Sustainability and Education Commissions, where she begins to develop environmental care projects, later she works as Director of Social Welfare where she manages to install more than 3,000 Safety, Hygiene and Environment commissions in the centers of work. From there she is invited to the Secretary of Education where she works as Private Secretary and later in 2008 as State Coordinator of Environmental Education, and begins to work on the House of the Earth and Green Schools Project, and is invited to represent Mexico and Latin America in the International Year of Biodiversity in Paris, with a project worked on by Dr. Mario Molina. She has been the author of publications and articles on the environment and co-author of the textbook Natural resources of Tamaulipas. She currently collaborates with POP as a representative in Northeast Mexico, and continues to work to promote the culture of caring for the environment in Tamaulipas with actions such as efficient use of energy in schools, care and reuse of water, reforestations, recycling campaigns, among others.

TIAHOGA RUGE

Tiahoga Ruge is Mexican by birth and is a specialist in the subject of Climate Change, Public Policies for Sustainable Development and Environmental Education and Communication. She is currently the Representative of Earth Day Network in Mexico. In the field of diplomacy, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Relations in 1884 and was Cultural Counselor at the Mexican Embassy in India, where she also coordinated the Meeting of the Six for Peace and disarmament. He has represented Mexico in various International Forums and Councils and in the Mexican Pavilions at the Hannover and Aichi International Expos. To promote environmental communication, he has developed a career in the cinematographic field, founding Fellini Films México, producing documentaries such as: La Bicicleta (2018), Biosfera 2 - 25 years later (2017), Soñando con Tulum, a tribute to Federico Fellini (2011), Knorosov, the decipherment of Mayan writing (2000). She has studies in Biology, Social Anthropology, Public Policies for Sustainable Development and Film Direction. He is fluent in Spanish, English, German, French and Dutch. Within his work experience the following positions stand out: General Coordinator of the Center for Education and Training for Sustainable Development (CECADESU) of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources - SEMARNAT. (2000-2007). Founding President and General Director of the Center for Environmental Information and Communication of North America - CICEANA (1995-2000). Ecological Merit Award 2012. Founding President of the Bioplanet @ Project, Training and Marketing for Sustainable Rural Communities (1998-2000). Founding President of the organization "Amigos de la Biósfera", A.C. (1991-2018). Winner of the "GLOBAL 500" Prize, International Ecology Prize, granted by the United Nations Environment Program - UNEP (1991). Winner of the Award “Outstanding Service to Environmental Education for an individual at the global level Award 2005” granted by NAAEE. (North American Association for Environmental Education) General Director of the Environmental Culture Program of CONACULTA (1988-1992).

MTRA. ELEONORA INSUNZA

Eleonora Isunza de Pech worked at Morelos Radio and Television in 1988 as a writer, producer and presenter of several radio and television programs. In 2009 she co-founded Cinema Planeta, the International Film and Environmental Festival of Mexico which she co-directs since then.

She is a founder and member of the board of directors of the Green Film Network where 42 festivals from 38 countries participate. In 2016 she co-produced and co-directed her first feature film Nahui Ollin, Sol de Movimiento and in 2018 "Mar Incendiado" both documentaries that drew attention to the impacts of climate change in Mexico.

Also in 2016 she participated in the creation of the POP Movement (Protect Our Planet) in collaboration with Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Dr. Ash Pachauri and Dr. Antonio Sarmiento.

Together with several activists she managed to change the law of solid waste to, among other things, prohibit plastic, unicel, straws and bags in Morelos and almost all the country. In 2019 she created the Space VJ's Platform, a collaborative virtual platform between Austria, Germany and Mexico to produce audiovisual materials with images from NASA to promote the peaceful use of outer space. On April 22, 2020 launches the first online platform for streaming and environmental action with the capacity to host the festival as well as educational activities throughout the year aimed at environmental education and implementation of ideas and solutions, the results in less than 2 months are: more than 4,000 schools participating, 32 NGOs collaborating, more than 450,000 visits promoting environmental actions and environmental education in almost 200 cities in Mexico.

MTRO. ROBERTO AYALA

Magister. in Arts Education Sciences. University teacher, Sculptor with extensive national and international career who has made more than 260 exhibitions, participated in Symposiums and Contests where he obtained national and international awards, his works are in Museums, private collections and public sculptures in Korea, Japan, Spain, Germany, Italy, Czech Rep., France, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Canada and the USA among others.

Since 1991 he has been teaching in the Chair of Sculpture at the Higher Institute of Fine Arts of Asunción, and is currently Director of Research and Postgraduate Studies, also collaborating with the University of Guadalajara Mexico and the Federal University of Bahia-Brazil.

As a technician in anthropology, he has worked for more than 25 years in indigenous communities where he develops research on tangible and intangible heritage and technical advice on agro-ecological production programs. Technician in medicinal herbs, beekeeping and meliponiculture.

He is the founder of the Mother Earth Association.

Co-author of books and audiovisuals on ancestral knowledge, safeguarding indigenous art.

DRA. DIANA ESCOBEDO

Biologist from the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Sinaloa. México. She obtained a Master of Science degree with a specialty in marine resource management and a Doctorate in Marine Sciences at the Marine Sciences Research Center (CICIMAR) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Baja CaliforniaSur, Méxic. Professor-Researcher at the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Integral Regional Development Sinaloa Unit (CIIDIR Sinaloa). He has directed 40 research projects and participated as an adjunct researcher in around 30 projects in collaboration with national and international institutions on relational issues with his area of expertise. He has published 32 research and dissemination articles and 13 book chapters, and supervised 14 master's theses and 3 doctoral theses. In her academic-administrative work at the IPN, she has been head of the Department. of the Environment, in charge of the Office of Collaboration and Technical Support, and Director of CIIDIR-Sinaloa. Member of the National System of Researchers (Level I), of the Sinaloense System of Researchers and Technologists, Member of the Citizen Council of Ecology of the state of Sinaloa, Member of the State Council on Climate Change of Sinaloa and Coordinator of the IPN Environment Network .

DRA. SUJITHA SURESH

Dr. Sujitha Suresh Babu has obtained her Doctorate Degree (Hons.) from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), Mexico City, in 2017. Her research mainly focuses on the biogeochemical process of trace metals in marine and coastal systems. Besides, she is distinctly interested in the toxicological behavior of trace metals in biota, including humans. Having published more than a score of scientific papers in high impact peer-reviewed scientific journals (Elsevier and Springer), she has been recognized as a National Research Investigator (Level I) by the National Council of Science and Technology, Mexico (CONACyT). She has been nominated as a reviewer for various journals in the portals of Elsevier, Springer and Taylor & Francis. She has always aspired to orient young researchers in the field of environmental sciences with innovation and attentiveness. Presently, she is doing her Post-doctorate research in the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), Mexico City and attests her vision in teaching geology subjects to the bachelor students of the same institute.

Pritha Chatterjee, Assistant Professor, IIT

I have a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur with a specialization in Environmental Engineering. After graduating in 2017, I did post-doctoral research at Tampere University, Finland for 1.5 years. After that I joined Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad as an Assistant Professor in Department of Civil Engineering at the end of the year 2018. My primary research interest is on resource recovery from waste in the form of energy, electricity, nutrients and value added products. I have expertise in transforming laboratory research into pilot scale applications and during my research experience, I have piloted four waste treatment technologies with resource recovery option in India and in Finland. I have 22 publications in International Journals, 6 book chapters and I have filed one Indian patent. I have presented my work in multiple conferences both in India and abroad. I am an ASCE member and Associate Editor of ASCE Journal of Toxic, Hazardous and Radioactive Waste. Currently I am PI of two research projects. I have supervised two Masters students and currently I am supervising two PhD students, two Masters students and co-supervising another PhD student.

Dalila was the first female Chair of Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. (GCFI).  She is heavily involved in GCFI’s Education, Historic and Diversity & Equality Committees and has been instrumental to the organizing of several GCFI conferences. she also works on United Nations initiatives such as Women in Science (11F) and other platforms to encourage youth in her region to pursue marine sciences. Her scientific research has focused on the effect of climate change on the reproduction and calcification of marine organisms as well as microplastic contamination in the Caribbean.