Who am I?
Carlos Fernando Mantilla Peña. Born and raised in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Passionate about water availability, education and helping out.
What do I currently do?
- PhD Candidate in Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech, focusing on Residential Water Metering Infrastructure Conditions and Sustainability of Water Distribution Systems.
- Teaching Fluid Mechanics for CEE (Instructor of Record).
- LAIGSA (Latin American and Iberian Graduate Student Association) – Academic and Well-Being Officer.
What have I done?
- Graduated with BS in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia in 2010.
- Completed my Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (Environmental and Water Resources) at Virginia Tech in May 2014.
- Member of multiple student organizations throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant for multiple courses. Lab-instructor and grader.
- Mentor for undergraduate students.
- Represented high school/university in diverse sports competitions. Mainly soccer and table tennis.
What am I looking for?
Share and exchange ideas about where the current higher education system is taking us, what needs to be analyzed? transformed? improved? and how to do it?
I haven’t set a “one path only” after completing my PhD. I am open to explore academia and industry possibilities, but more inclined towards a teaching oriented position.
Population is increasing. Stress on water resources is increasing. Do we have sustainable drinking water distribution systems?
Some quotes/messages:
“Minds are like parachutes – they only function when open” … Thomas Dewar (1864-1930)
The problem of doing nothing, is that you don’t know when you are done… Paraphrased from “Plum Island” a novel by Nelson DeMille