Two chemical engineering graduates are returning to the University of Florida, this time to help guide the department that sealed their successes. Alumni Gretta Granado Huerta and Mark Pepple, Ph.D., joined the Department of Chemical Engineering’s advisory board this spring.
Chemical Engineering Alum
Granado Huerta earned her bachelor’s degree in 2012 and works for Dow Chemical Company.
She began in environmental operations with Dow and now serves as a production director in a low-density polyethylene resin-production unit in Freeport, Texas, where she leads high-performing teams in complex manufacturing environments.
At Dow, she oversees safety, operational reliability, cost discipline and business performance across large-scale, asset-intensive operations.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to give back to the University of Florida — the university that gave so much to me. I hope to assist the department in enhancing mentoring opportunities and strengthening engagement with fellow alumni,” she said.
In her spare time, she can be found playing with her 3-year-old daughter, traveling and passionately rooting for the Florida Gators.
Chemical Engineering Alum
Mark Pepple, Ph.D., earned his doctorate in 2010, propelled by graduate research that investigated transitional multi-phase flow regimes. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois.
After UF, he joined Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he has held a variety of leadership roles across a variety of national security programs.
Pepple is currently a manager in the Navigation, Pointing, Control and Electronic Systems group, which designs state-of-the-art hardware and software for advanced flight systems. He previously held leadership roles in developing resilient space systems.
From 2017-18, he served as a Sandia Congressional Fellow with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services. He then worked as the Deputy Director for technology innovation with the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs’ hypersonic weapons program.
“I am thrilled to join the External Advisory Board and look forward to providing guidance to help the department meet the needs of students and faculty. I am excited to reconnect with the university and share my experience and network to position the department for future growth and increased impact,” Pepple said.
He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, enjoying the outdoors of New Mexico and southern Colorado.