Erika Yuliana Ortiz Montoya, Ph.D.
Director of the Master's and Ph.D. programs in Engineering at Universidad Icesi, Colombia
Chemical Engineer from Universidad del Valle (Colombia) with a Ph.D. in Chemical, Materials, and Process Engineering from the University of Genoa (Italy) and a Ph.D. in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (Brazil).
She is currently the Director of the Master's and Ph.D. programs in Engineering at Universidad Icesi, where she leads the academic and strategic development of advanced research initiatives, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in engineering education. Additionally, she is a full-time professor at the institution and an active member of the Department of Biological Sciences, Bioprocesses, Biotechnology, and the iCubo Research Group.
She has extensive experience in applied research, focusing on the operation and control of microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation systems and their downstream processes, both at pilot and demonstration scales. Her expertise also includes the development of biorefineries, biogas, and biomethane production, as well as experience in the design of bioprocesses. Her research interests encompass the development of sustainable energy solutions such as biogas and biomethane, the intensification of bioprocesses, the scaling-up of microalgae and cyanobacteria cultivation systems, the valorization of agro-industrial waste, and green chemistry.
