Catherinne Mejia

Catherinne (“Cathy”) Mejia is from El Salvador and holds a bachelor’s degree in Environment and Development Engineering from Zamorano University (Honduras). She is currently an MS student in Environmental and Ecological Engineering (EEE) at Purdue, co-advised by Prof. Liddell and Prof. Deandrae Smith (Food Science). Her research involves exploring the quality, safety, and environmental impacts of dielectric heating methods for drying and preserving agricultural products. As part of this work, she is conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of alfalfa hay drying methods along with nutritional and microbial analysis of the resulting products as dairy forage. Catherinne is interested in interdisciplinary research that aims to reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainability of the production chain, with a focus on agriculture and industry. In her free time, she enjoys baking, hiking, and spending time with friends.

Education:

• B.S., Environment and Development Engineering, Zamorano University, Honduras, 2022

Selected Publications and Presentations:

• C. A. Mejia Melara, D. L. W. Smith, and H. P. H. Liddell, “Life-Cycle Impact Comparison of Two Industrial Drying Methods for Alfalfa Dairy Forage: Radiofrequency and Convective Drying,” presented at the 2024 American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) Conference, Snowbird, UT, September 24-26, 2024. Poster. (Honors: first place in student poster competition).
• I. Y. Lopez Pacheco, V. G. Ayala Moreno, C. A. Mejia Melara, J. Rodriguez Rodriguez, S. P. Cuellar Bermudez, R. B. Gonzalez Gonzalez, K. G. Coronado Apodaca, L. I. Farfan Cabrera, G. M. Gonzalez Meza, H. M. N. Iqbal, and R. Parra Saldivar, “Growth Behavior, Biomass Composition and Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) Production Potential of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and Chlorella vulgaris Cultures,” Marine Drugs 21 (2023) 450. doi: 10.3390/md21080450