Dr. Laura Almendares Calderón has 41 years of experience and has received the following awards: “Agro Innovation Professional” granted by the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation in 2010, “Challenges: Innovation and “Entrepreneurship” granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, and Poster Award at the “Congress of Innovation in the Horticulture Sector”.

Her main research lines are horticultural and sylvo-agricultural products, use of by-products to generate food innovations and contributions to circular economy, and applied food microbiology, among others.

One of her recent studies aimed to use the by-products of potatoes and rice to create a destroyed potato that can absorb less than a third of the oil when frying.

With regard to gender equality in sciences, she emphasizes a “more predominant role of women in research. Applied research, women-led studies, has some characteristics that men-led studies do not possess, which is closeness and humanity. So, I invite women who are just starting, who are doing research, to persevere because they will eventually succeed.”

Learn more about her story here: