Claudia E. Berdugo Diaz
PhD in Chemical Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
We are excited to introduce the lead of the SWE Global Women Engineers Affinity Group (GWE-AG), Claudia E. Berdugo Diaz! Berdugo has held this position for 2 years, and she is also currently a Leadership Coach at the SWE Leadership Coaching Committee (LCC). Berdugo also has experience as a Building Community Lead in the SWE Global Women Engineers Affinity Group (GWE-AG). Berdugo has been a member of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) collegiate SWE section since FY18, where she has experience as the Treasurer and as a member of the Publicity Committee.
Berdugo has received several awards including the Rising Star Award from SWE in 2021, the A. T. Widiger Chemical Engineering Fellowship from UIUC for the 2020 - 2021 year, and being included in the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent at UIUC in 2019.
Berdugo’s research is on upgrading of biomass-derived oxygenates. Catalytic conversion of biomass-derived oxygenates is a promising route to produce value-added chemicals and fuels. Rate measurements for model esters are analyzed to determine how rates and selectivities change as a function of reactant pressure, temperature, and catalyst structure. Such kinetic measurements are combined with spectroscopic techniques to elucidate the reaction mechanism for the catalytic reduction of esters over monometallic and bimetallic transition metal nanoparticles. Her investigation aims to develop understanding of pathways for selective hydrogen transfer processes, reaction networks that cleave C-O bonds, and methods for promoting catalyst surfaces to increase the regioselectivity of these types of elementary steps.
Following graduation, Berdugo plans to apply her knowledge to the production of bio-based chemicals in her native country of Colombia. She is interested in entrepreneurship and supporting industry-academia collaborations.
Berdugo’s hobbies include dancing, playing the ukulele, and traveling.
Fun fact: She practiced aerial dancing during college!
PhD in Chemical Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
We are excited to introduce the lead of the SWE Global Women Engineers Affinity Group (GWE-AG), Claudia E. Berdugo Diaz! Berdugo has held this position for 2 years, and she is also currently a Leadership Coach at the SWE Leadership Coaching Committee (LCC). Berdugo also has experience as a Building Community Lead in the SWE Global Women Engineers Affinity Group (GWE-AG). Berdugo has been a member of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) collegiate SWE section since FY18, where she has experience as the Treasurer and as a member of the Publicity Committee.
Berdugo has received several awards including the Rising Star Award from SWE in 2021, the A. T. Widiger Chemical Engineering Fellowship from UIUC for the 2020 - 2021 year, and being included in the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent at UIUC in 2019.
Berdugo’s research is on upgrading of biomass-derived oxygenates. Catalytic conversion of biomass-derived oxygenates is a promising route to produce value-added chemicals and fuels. Rate measurements for model esters are analyzed to determine how rates and selectivities change as a function of reactant pressure, temperature, and catalyst structure. Such kinetic measurements are combined with spectroscopic techniques to elucidate the reaction mechanism for the catalytic reduction of esters over monometallic and bimetallic transition metal nanoparticles. Her investigation aims to develop understanding of pathways for selective hydrogen transfer processes, reaction networks that cleave C-O bonds, and methods for promoting catalyst surfaces to increase the regioselectivity of these types of elementary steps.
Following graduation, Berdugo plans to apply her knowledge to the production of bio-based chemicals in her native country of Colombia. She is interested in entrepreneurship and supporting industry-academia collaborations.
Berdugo’s hobbies include dancing, playing the ukulele, and traveling.
Fun fact: She practiced aerial dancing during college!
