Javier Gutierrez, who is completing a three-month secondment in Argentina, hosted by Dr Gloria Rotolo at INTA, writes about his experience:
“I am grateful for this research opportunity that the University of Sheffield Management School has given me. This journey of two years has been a truly family adventure, starting from an uncertain dream in Chlile, my birth country, to my professional growth in Sheffield, with valuable academic learning and many cultural experiences, and then to Argentina, with the ProCEedS project. Before and during my postgraduate, I was constantly enthusiast, proactive, thirsty about looking after new challenges and horizons, participating in different workshops and lectures at the Management School. Thereby I discovered my interest in the sustainable practices, conducting my MSc dissertation towards CE approach, and this brought the opportunity of an international secondment with to Argentina as early stage researcher.
During my 3-month secondment with the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), I have been experiencing a warmed welcoming by the team, as I was invited to participate in their research activities. In particular, from my engineering background, it has been interesting to explore CE practices applied to biofuels operating processes. I have complemented this research with literature review and industrial visits to local production plants. I realised how important it is to find improved reverse logistics solutions across post-production agricultural processes as well as the need of re-designing organic material treatment processes. In summary, so many opportunities were found and so much more motivation to be part of a future solution.
I am very grateful for this 3-month and overall experience, travelling for 2 years in 3 countries, from Chile to the UK and finally Argentina, the Eden’s place for CE interventions. I can’t be more grateful for being part of this fantastic ProCEedS team.“
