Catherine Keske

Catherine Keske is a Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of California-Merced, specializing in the Management of Complex Systems with a focus on agricultural/resource economics. She leads convergence research on biochar, precision agriculture IoT, and circular bioeconomy models for vulnerable ecosystems.

Her research integrates:

• Economic valuation of ecosystem services
• Biochar production from agricultural/forest biomass
• IoT adoption barriers in farming
• Wildfire impact on water/carbon cycles
• Waste-to-resource systems in northern communities

Recent publications analyze forest restoration benefits, social media-based recreation economics, and decentralized desalination. She directs NSF-funded IoT4Ag center projects and advises PhD candidates in Environmental Systems and Complex Systems Management.