Alum story: Erick Rico Esparza from Environmental Engineering

Before arriving in Finland, I studied Civil Engineering in Mexico and gained some industry experience. During this time, I became more and more interested in environmental data analysis, urban environmental problems, and the relationships between cities, climate, and the atmosphere.

What I really liked about my time at Tampere University is that my path developed quite naturally. I did not arrive with everything fully defined. Step by step, through courses, projects, an exchange semester, and finally my thesis, I found the research direction that I now want to continue in my doctoral studies.

What motivated you to choose your field of study and Tampere University?

My motivation came from wanting to understand environmental problems not only as isolated technical challenges, but as part of larger systems. Cities face issues such as air pollution, extreme weather, water scarcity, flooding, and climate change, which directly affect people’s daily lives. Coming from a Civil Engineering background, I was already familiar with the built environment, but I wanted to delve deeper into the science of environmental risks and how data can help us understand them.

Tampere University was attractive to me because of its strong international environment and its combination of engineering, science, and sustainability. I was looking for a place where I could strengthen my technical skills while also learning to think more broadly about environmental systems. Finland also appealed to me because of its reputation for education, research, and respect for nature. In that sense, Tampere felt like the right place to grow both academically and personally.

What has studying at Tampere University been like in your experience?

Studying at Tampere University has been challenging in a very positive way. I have appreciated the level of independence given to students. You are encouraged to take responsibility for your own learning, but at the same time, support is available when you need it. That balance helped me become more confident as a student and as a researcher.

Another important part of the experience has been working with people from many different countries and academic backgrounds. Environmental Engineering is a field where collaboration matters because real environmental problems rarely belong to only one discipline. During my studies, I learned not only from teachers and supervisors but also from classmates who approached problems from different perspectives.

I also appreciated how much the studies helped me connect theory with practical tools. Courses in environmental systems, data analysis, modeling, and research gave me skills that I later applied to my thesis. For students coming into Environmental Engineering, I think this is one of the most valuable aspects: you build a foundation that can lead in many directions, from water and energy to climate, air quality, urban environments, and research.

How have you enjoyed living in Tampere?

I have really enjoyed living in Tampere. It is a city that feels calm, safe, and very student-friendly, but at the same time, it has enough cultural life, cafés, events, and nature to make everyday life interesting. For an international student, that combination is very helpful. It is not an overwhelming city, and it becomes familiar quite quickly.

One of my favorite things about Tampere is how close nature is. The lakes, forests, and walking paths make it easy to disconnect from academic work and recharge. The winters can be intense, especially if you come from a warmer country like Mexico, but they also become part of the experience. You learn to adapt, and eventually you start appreciating the rhythm of the seasons.

The student culture is also something I will remember fondly. There is a strong sense of community and many traditions that make university life feel special. Tampere gave me not only academic opportunities, but also friendships and memories that became an important part of my time in Finland.

What have you found most interesting or inspiring in your studies?

For me, the most inspiring part has been seeing how Environmental Engineering can connect many things that, at first, may seem separate: data analysis, atmospheric processes, cities, public health, climate variability, and real environmental problems.

During my first year at Tampere University, I began working more with data analysis across various environmental topics. I had projects related to water, circular economy, sustainability, and environmental systems, and little by little, I realized that I really enjoyed using data to understand what is happening behind a problem. It was not only about calculating something, but about asking: what does this tell us about the city, the environment, or the people affected by it?

Then, during my exchange semester at City University of Hong Kong, this interest became much clearer. I worked on a comparative air pollution analysis between Mexico City and Hong Kong. That experience was very important for me, because I could connect air quality, meteorology, urban conditions, and large-scale atmospheric patterns. It was also the first time I felt that this was no longer just a course project, but something I could imagine pursuing as research in the long term.

After that, I wanted to continue in the same direction, but more deeply. That is why, for my master’s thesis, I contacted the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Change at UNAM in Mexico. I wanted to apply what I had learned in Tampere and Hong Kong to a problem that was also very relevant for Mexico City.

My master's thesis was titled Multi-scale Drivers of PM10 and PM2.5 Extremes in the Valley of Mexico: Seasonal Synoptic Organization, Event Evolution, and ENSO Modulation. In simple terms, I studied extreme air pollution events in the Valley of Mexico and examined how they are linked to seasonal atmospheric patterns, their evolution over several days, and climate variability, such as ENSO. I used air-quality data, reanalysis datasets, statistics, and physical interpretation.

I enjoyed the thesis a lot because it brought together many things I care about: environmental engineering, atmospheric science, programming, cities, and a real problem in my home country. Air pollution is not just a dataset. It affects people’s health, everyday life, transport, and public policy. So being able to study it from a scientific perspective was very meaningful to me.

The thesis is available in the Tampere University repository for anyone interested in air pollution meteorology or environmental data analysis: https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/236831. I’m also working on turning it into a research paper, which I hope to submit for publication soon. For me, that has been one of the most motivating outcomes of my studies.

What are your plans or hopes for the future? 

My plan is to continue with doctoral studies and stay in research in the long term. I have already received PhD offers from some universities, and I am currently deciding where to continue this next stage.

My research interests are now mainly related to air pollution meteorology, climate variability, urban climate, hydroclimate and precipitation extreme events, and the use of environmental and atmospheric datasets to understand them. In the long term, I would like to contribute to research that helps cities better understand environmental risks and prepare for a changing climate.

I also want to keep building bridges between different academic and geographic contexts. My path has taken me from Mexico to Finland and Hong Kong, and now I want to continue developing as an international researcher. Tampere University has been a very important part of that journey. It gave me the tools, the confidence, and the international perspective to take the next step.

For me, Environmental Engineering is inspiring because it is both technical and very human. It uses science, data, and engineering to address problems that matter for people, cities, and the environment. That is why I am very grateful for my time at Tampere University, and why I want to continue in this field.