GSGS Regional Hub Director Prof. Garcia decorated by the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute
On Monday, October 13, 2025, Prof. Dr. Héctor García received a special recognition for his outstanding commitment and dedication to his work at the Artigas Antarctic Scientific Base, located on King George Island in the Antarctic continent. The award was presented by the President of the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute, Rear Admiral (R) Daniel Núñez.
Since 2023, the Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC), in collaboration with the Global Sanitation Graduate School (GSGS), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and the State Sanitary Works Administration (OSE), has carried out three scientific and technical missions at Uruguay’s Antarctic base to assess and improve its water supply and sanitation systems.
One of the highlights is a state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment plant installed in the base in 2024. The plant has been operating for nearly two years, treating the base’s wastewater and producing a high-quality effluent under harsh conditions, thereby preventing negative environmental impacts and contributing to the protection of the fragile ecosystem in the Antarctic.
