Student Fulbright grants offer opportunities to pursue international educational, research, and teaching experiences around the world.
Mejia will work with faculty from United Arab Emirates University to research the mechanical properties of recycled polyethylene composites, a major plastic used in manufacturing, to make them more reusable after recycling.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Mejia grew up in Mexico before returning to the U.S. after high school to pursue English as a second language training and a higher education. Mejia received an associate degree from Harry Truman College prior to enrolling at Illinois. He has served as a research assistant at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and at Princeton University.
Mejia eventually hopes to earn a doctoral degree in materials science to assist in further developing sustainable plastic composite materials throughout his career.
As the flagship international educational exchange program of the U.S. government, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program builds international relationships to solve global challenges. Based on their academic and professional achievement as well as their demonstrated leadership potential, approximately 2,100 U.S. citizens will travel abroad for the 2018-19 academic year through the Fulbright program.