Ines Zucker

My Research: Wastewater treatment technology

High Hopes: I grew up as the oldest child in a family with two siblings and very young and inexperienced parents.  Looking back now, as a young mother, I truly appreciate my mother’s ability and efforts to make our dreams a priority. In my late teens, our lives turned upside down due to my parents’ rough divorce.  It was a defining period in my life and a turning point, which led me to disillusionment and then acceptance and growth. I decided then that my future was in my hands and chose higher education as the path to achieving my dreams.

“The hardships in my life led me to the decision to follow higher education as the path to my dreams.”

Endless Motivation: My research deals with one of the most significant problems facing our country: the limited resource of drinking water. I work in the water technology and hydro-chemistry labs and test different wastewater treatment technologies that will allow us to reuse this water without worry. The technology includes a series of treatments to remove organic material and pharmaceutical drug remnants from the water until it reaches drinking water quality. The possibility of improving the lives of so many people is all the motivation I need to devote my time and effort to research.

A Balancing Act: After I complete my doctorate, I wish to continue my research at a distinguished institution abroad that will help me expand my horizons. Ultimately, I hope to settle down at one of the universities in Israel and conduct research in a field that combines engineering and the environmental studies.  I realize that managing both a career and family life requires some serious juggling skills. Finding the right balance between the two is a tough mission, one that I hope to succeed in.

Ines is a PhD student at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering.