CORNERSTONE Young Professionals: Meenakshi Prasad

Developing new water treatment technologies, optimising smart monitoring tools or validating the sustainability of solutions: In CORNERSTONE, many young professionals are doing their part to achieve the goals of the project. One thing they all have in common: They are highly motivated and passionate about their work. One of our "CORNERSTONE Young Professionals" is Meenakshi Prasad. She is a Process Technology Expert for Wastewater at Covestro Deutschland AG. As Covestro is leading the Chemical Case Study within the project, she is the project manager from Covestro defining and supporting the process development. Read more about Meenakshi and her work in the interview!

What is your motivation and what excites you the most about your work? 

What motivates me most is that every day brings something new — new processes, new challenges, and new people to learn from.

What excites me is the constant learning. No two days are the same, and that keeps the work meaningful and engaging for me. I genuinely enjoy the feeling that I am improving every day — better than yesterday, while knowing there is always more to learn tomorrow.

Which impact do you think your research will have on the future?

Wastewater management is becoming increasingly important for the chemical industry. With rising energy challenges in Germany and Europe, industries must focus on more sustainable and responsible solutions. Recovering energy from waste sources can help reduce energy dependence while also lowering emissions and carbon footprint.

The solutions being developed within Cornerstone address a realistic future need — not only for Covestro, but for the industry as a whole. Although challenging, it is one of the most practical and sustainable approaches to support the energy transition.

What opportunities does the research project CORNERSTONE offer you as a young researcher in your early career? 

This was one of the first research proposals I contributed to when I started supporting the role. In the beginning, it was not easy to understand the treatment processes, financial aspects, and legal terms involved. However, the experienced colleagues within CORNERSTONE were always supportive and encouraged young colleagues to learn and ask questions.

One important thing I realized about the water sector is that much of the knowledge comes through experience. Working alongside experienced colleagues could easily feel intimidating, but at CORNERSTONE, I never felt undervalued. Instead, it became a platform where I gained confidence to discuss ideas, ask questions, and continuously learn.

What is the best thing about your job as a scientist in the CORNERSTONE project? 

One interesting part of day-to-day research is that things rarely go exactly as planned. Sometimes a small issue in data, calculations, or process assumptions can lead to long discussions and unexpected learning moments. I still remember being part of meetings where highly experienced colleagues debated simple process details for hours — and in the end, the solution was sometimes much simpler than expected. Those moments taught me that research is not only about technical knowledge, but also about patience, teamwork, and continuously asking questions.