Catarina Coelho Herrera

Catarina Coelho Herrera is an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, majoring in global development studies and politics. At the DTD Lab, Catarina works alongside Lauren Bridges supporting research on emerging data center policy and digital infrastructure governance. During her time at UVA, Catarina has contributed to environmental and policy-focused organizations, working on projects related to climate action, infrastructure, and community engagement. Her academic work examines the relationship between policy design and lived experience, including ongoing thesis research on development and local perspectives in rural Appalachia. Catarina is interested in questions of infrastructure governance, regional inequality, and the role of policy in shaping community outcomes.