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Research Interests

Food Engineering

Carmen, who immigrated from Mexico as a teenager, brings her rich heritage, culture, and engineering expertise to everything she does. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona, she worked in the petroleum energy sector as a process engineer. Transitioning to academia, Carmen taught at institutions like UC Davis and Columbia University. In 2010, she joined ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder as an adjunct faculty, all while raising three children, making motherhood her priority. Carmen’s passion for blending her cultural roots with engineering led her to start a successful food business selling Mexican salsas and moles. She returned to ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder to introduce innovative courses like the Design of Coffee, applying engineering to real-world food processes. In 2023, she launched a food engineering certificate program focusing on specialty foods like coffee and chocolate, highlighting the value added along the supply chain and reflecting her commitment to sustainability, education, and her cultural heritage.