Dr Alexandra Clarà Saracho joined The University of Texas at Austin as an Assistant Professor in Geotechnical Engineering in January 2023, after being a Research Fellow at King’s College, University of Cambridge. At the intersection between geotechnical engineering, the biological sciences, and materials chemistry, her expertise lies in the field of bio-mediated soil processes and sustainable geotechnical engineering practices. Through a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, she combines fundamental investigations of microbial processes, with the characterization and physical modelling of bio-geotechnical systems to advance fundamental engineering knowledge and develop innovative technologies for carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy generation, hazard mitigation, and infrastructure construction. Ultimately, through rigorous science, she strives to generate solid engineering that can make a meaningful and positive impact in society.