A University of Iowa (UI) engineering alumnus making a global impact on climate action recently had an audience with His Majesty King Charles III.

Marcelo Mena (MS 2003, PhD 2007, environmental engineering) attended a reception at St. James’s Palace in London following a renewed United Nations call to action on methane emissions.

Through his work with the Global Methane Hub, Mena has helped drive more than $500 million in investments supporting methane policy, measurement, and advocacy worldwide. These efforts position methane reduction as one of the fastest ways to slow climate change. 

During the reception, Mena presented the King with a symbolic “emergency brake” on climate change, which he crafted from recycled materials alongside a colleague, underscoring the urgency of global action. 

A leader for change in his home country of Chile, Mena is a professor, former Minister of the Environment, and a tireless advocate for science-based solutions to climate challenges. 

Mena, a biochemical engineer, has collaborated with numerous UI scholars over the years, including Gregory Carmichael, Karl Kammermeyer Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; and Jerald Schnoor, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering. 

From Iowa City to the global stage, Hawkeyes continue to lead where it matters most.