Rodrigo is a wildlife lover. He studied Biology in his undergraduate studies because he wanted to be the next Steve Irwin, the famous wildlife conservationist. When he was a child he had cats, dogs, fish, geckos, and snakes for pets. He doesn't have a pet here in KAUST but takes every opportunity to catsit or dogsit when friends go on vacation.

Rodrigo is passionate about research and the environment. He decided to do his PhD at KAUST in the Environmental Biotechnology group with professor Pascal Saikaly. For his research, he uses bacteria that can produce electricity to make eco-friendly catalysts to produce hydrogen.

Rodrigo is the CEO of Polymeron, a company that won the TAQADAM Startup Accelerator Program last year (2021) and the $1 million Omnipreneurship Award (2022). Polymeron is a biodegradable and sustainable materials manufacturer - they use date waste to make bioplastic single-use products, such as spoons, cups, plates, etc.

As a Mexican, Rodrigo speaks Spanish and enjoys teaching his mother tongue. Until recently, he was the President of the Culture and Language Exchange Group that organizes language classes for the community.

"I love being part of KAUST because the people in the community are friendly and always ready to help. The coexistence of this diverse group of people is only possible due to the tolerance and embracement of diversity. Every time I enter the KAUST gates I feel safe and comfortable, the same feeling that I have when I enter my house in my home country."

Published: May, 2022

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