Student Spotlight: Florencia Corbo-Ferreira
March 16, 2026
Florencia Corbo-Ferreira is a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering from Boston, Massachusetts. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida and now studies the use of novel polymer materials to remove micropollutants from water under the guidance of Damian Helbling at Cornell.
What is your area of research and why is it important?
My research involves using novel polymer materials to remove micropollutants from water. My group, the Helbling Research Group, has developed inexpensive polymer materials made from cornstarch that are more effective at removing certain micropollutants from water than the current conventional materials used in water treatment. I’m aiming to better understand the effectiveness of these materials to inform models that can be used to improve water treatment technologies for real world application.
What are the larger implications of this research?
My research aims to address the limitations of conventional adsorbent materials used in water treatment and provide cost-effective ways to mitigate water purification challenges across the United States and beyond. Beyond the lab, I aim to translate my work into real-world applications through collaborations with industry, prioritizing scalable and accessible technologies that benefit communities.
How is coming from working at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shaping your experience as a graduate student?
Before starting at Cornell, I worked as a research intern for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. My year there allowed me to engage in microplastics research that was related to my current work but quite different and made me think about environmental contaminants on a different scale. It expanded my appreciation for the breadth of work that is conducted throughout the national lab system and made me really excited about research and development for my future. It also provided me with additional context about sustainability and environmental issues that has helped me better understand the impact of my current work.
As a co-author on “Engineering Ethics Education for Social Justice: Implementation & Preliminary Data,” can you tell us about this publication?
This paper describes the preliminary data collected to better understand the efficacy of incorporating social justice topics in engineering ethics courses. I created and administered a survey of ethics questions to multiple undergraduate courses at the University of Florida to collect this preliminary data. The end goal was to understand how an engineering ethics course with an emphasis on social justice could impact the way that students understand what it means to practice engineering ethically.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research or scholarship?
Outside of work and school, I really enjoy quality time with friends and family, being in the sun, dancing, watercolor painting, cooking and baking, museums, exploring, and going to the gym!
Why did you choose Cornell to pursue your degree?
I was very lucky to have been able to visit Cornell during the grad school application process through the Consider Cornell program. Through this program, I met professors (including my current advisor) and students from different departments at Cornell. It showed me how I could really see myself belonging here—in the field of civil and environmental engineering, at Cornell in general, and in Ithaca! It made it clear to me that my advisor and group genuinely were the best match for me and my research interests. I feel very grateful. 🙂