Alex Mejia

Dr. Joel Alejandro (Alex) Mejia is an assistant professor of integrated engineering. His current research investigates the funds of knowledge of Latinx adolescents, and how they use these funds of knowledge to solve engineering problems in their communities. Dr. Mejia is particularly interested in how Latinx adolescents bring forth unique ways of knowing, doing, and being that provide them with particular ways of framing, approaching, and solving engineering problems.

He is also interested in engineering and literacy education for equity, engineering literacies in K-16 settings, equity-oriented instructional strategies that support engineering activity, the use and application of critical theories in engineering education, and the development of critical consciousness in engineering through social justice.

In spring 2019, Dr. Mejia was awarded the CAREER Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote Latinx success in the field of engineering. This is the NSF's most prestigious award in support of faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and the first ever NSF CAREER Grant awarded at USD's Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.

Dr. Mejia received his PhD in engineering education from Utah State University, MS from the University of Utah, and his BS from the University of Texas at El Paso. He is also a former Gates Millennium Scholar and CADRE Fellow.