Pedro J.J. Alvarez is the George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University,[1] where he also serves as founding Director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center on Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT)[2] and as Director of the Rice WaTER Institute.
[3] Alvarez also serves on the board of directors of the Houston Endowment Inc[4]., which is a private foundation to improve quality of life for the residents of greater Houston.
His research interests include environmental implications and applications of nanotechnology, bioremediation, fate and transport of toxic chemicals, water footprint of biofuels, water treatment and reuse, and antibiotic resistance control.
He is the 2012 Athalie Richardson Irvine Clarke Prize[5] laureate for outstanding research in water science and technology, and also won the AAEES Grand Prize for Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science.
Alvarez is an honorary professor at Nankai University, Zheijang University, and Chinese Academy of Sciences, and adjunct professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Florianopolis, Brazil.