Marianela Pepe

Marianela Pepe is a Chemical Engineering student at National University of Comahue, Argentina. She also trained as Food Technician at EPET N°4 in Junín de los Andes where she was born.

As her mother was a biology teacher, from an early age, she learned about the nature surrounding her Patagonian city. Since 2015 they created Huechulafquen Science Club at their home, with Marianela’s friends. There, they worked on several environment quality projects (specially on the Chimehuin river, which passes through the city) and participated on many international programs as well like the ENO Programme, Tremendas and the GLOBE Program. As a part of this, they presented projects and made collaborative ones all around the world. She also participates in activities from Exploradores Argentinos de Don Bosco.

In 2021, her teammates and her won the Premio Argentino Junior del Agua, where they became finalists for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. She learned many more ways of taking care of the environment and listened about water problems around the world.

In her free time, she enjoys activities like going outdoors (specially in Junín), hanging out with friends, watching STEM-related videos and cooking. She’s also an almost-full-time mate drinker (traditional infusion).

As part of her work, Marianela believes it’s important for the community to learn what happens in their place and in other places in order to optimize ways of taking care of such beautiful environment. She also believes Ceferino Namuncurá’s words: being useful for your people is key for making a better community and more sustainable world.