Nazia Zaffar is a doctoral candidate at the Biology/Ecology Research Group. In October, she had the opportunity to attend the Mining & Critical Minerals America Conference and Exhibition in Houston, Texas, USA as a speaker.

Your research topic briefly explained: What is it about and what makes it so exciting for you?

I researched how valuable elements such as germanium (Ge) and rare earth elements (REEs) can be enriched and recovered from plant biomass using anaerobic digestion. In simple terms, I explore how natural processes and plants can help us extract critical raw materials needed for renewable energy, electronics, and communication technology. This research became even more meaningful after attending the “Mining Critical Minerals America Conference & Expo” in Houston, Texas. There, I learned how strongly the U.S. is focusing on securing critical minerals through large-scale mining and advanced technologies. Compared to this, my work follows a more sustainable, bio-based pathway. It showed me that biological recovery can complement traditional mining, offering cleaner and more circular solutions. The biggest challenge in my research is that these elements occur only in trace amounts, but solving this puzzle motivates me. It feels meaningful to contribute innovative ideas to a field that is essential for a greener and more resource-efficient future.

What did your stay abroad bring to your PhD project?

My stay in Houston significantly enriched my PhD project. The conference on critical minerals in America exposed me to new technological approaches in mineral processing and resource recovery that I had not encountered before. Talking to international experts helped me understand how countries like the U.S. deal with the global shortage of critical raw materials and how strongly they are investing in innovation. A key insight for me was realizing how valuable biological and sustainable methods, like phytomining and anaerobic digestion, can be as complementary tools in the global search for alternative raw material sources. Seeing large-scale industrial solutions made me even more confident that bio-based recovery can fill an important gap. The scientific discussions inspired new ideas for optimizing my own methods and for future collaborations.

What did you gain personally?

Personally, the stay in Houston was a transformative experience. Travelling alone, navigating a completely new environment, and presenting my research to an international audience pushed me far outside my comfort zone. I realised that I am much more capable and confident than I had ever imagined. Meeting researchers, industrials from different cultures taught me to see challenges and ideas from new angles. I learned to communicate my work more clearly and to trust my expertise. One moment that truly moved me was how openly people appreciated my research on bio-based metal recovery something I didn’t expect in a conference focused largely on industrial mining. The experience also made me more independent and resilient. This journey showed me that every new environment can help you grow if you let it.