Rafael Chávez García Silva

From Mexico to Europe, Rafael Chávez joined the Erasmus Mundus Groundwater programme to gain technical water skills. Now a PhD researcher at UFZ Magdeburg, he investigates groundwater trends in Southern Europe, connecting global data with real-world sustainability. Discover how a semester in Dresden shaped his journey.

Country of Origin	Mexico 🇲🇽
Background:	Environmental Analysis and Urban Planning
Graduation Year	2019 (Master’s – Erasmus Mundus Groundwater Programme)
Current Role	PhD Student at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Magdeburg
Current Location	Magdeburg, Germany

💬 Why He Chose the HSE Programme

"My city depends heavily on groundwater, and after working in urban planning, I realised I needed technical water management skills. The Erasmus Mundus Groundwater Master made perfect sense for me. It combined my interests and gave me the opportunity to study across three cities, including Dresden, which I had dreamed of visiting after reading a novel about it as a teenager."

His Experience in the Programme

"I learnt so much from my colleagues and through intercultural exchanges. We had a WhatsApp group before even meeting in person, with people from Colombia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan... It became a family fast. We travelled, lived, and studied together. Learning from others' stories made my experience truly special."

What Dresden Meant to Him

Rafael’s connection to Dresden began long before his studies; he first encountered the city as a teenager through a novel. When he discovered that Dresden was one of the destinations in the Erasmus Mundus programme, the opportunity to experience it firsthand became a personal highlight.

"Dresden made a strong impression; the contrast between Eastern Germany and the rest of Europe was very noticeable. I loved being close to Saxon Switzerland and went hiking there every chance I got. The city’s history and rebuilding were always present. It felt meaningful to live and learn in such a place."

🌍 Where He Is Now

Rafael is currently pursuing a PhD at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Magdeburg. His research focuses on the data-driven analysis of groundwater trends and their drivers in the Mediterranean region, exploring questions like whether Southern Europe is running out of groundwater, and what can be learned from these changes.

Academic Background

M.Sc. Erasmus Mundus – Groundwater Programme	Institutions: TU Dresden, IHE Delft, IST Lisboa (2017–2019)	Master Thesis: Hidden figures: What the current national survey data do not tell us about groundwater use in urban Sub-Saharan Africa Erasmus mobility included a semester in Dresden
Internships & Research	Graduate Researcher at IHE Delft (Oct 2019 – Jan 2020) Hydrogeologist Intern at IGRAC (Feb – May 2020)
PhD Candidate	Helmholtz UFZ (since Aug 2020)	Research Topic: Data-driven analysis of groundwater trends and drivers in the Mediterranean region Focus on groundwater level and quality time series, trajectory, and drivers analysis

Rafael Chávez García Silva