Monica Juarez: A Dream to Battle Food Insecurity

Monica Juarez Ceballos, R&D Senior Scientist at BioMar, is one of our North American women that helps advance the aquaculture industry. Originally from Mexico City, Monica has spent the past 16 years living in Norway, where she has integrated herself in the Nordic country without loosing any of her Mexican side.

In her role as Senior Scientist, Monica has two primary responsibilities. She leads the Shrimp Team, merging the needs of technical departments into R&D projects with relevant objectives aligned with local product strategy. Additionally, she is responsible for R&D implementations in the Salmon Product Matrix, facilitating the application of R&D knowledge into our products. Monica also mentors colleagues, empowering them to navigate the complex world of fish feed nutrition

Monica’s journey in aquaculture began with a childhood dream of becoming a scientist. Growing up in a busy city like Mexico City, she became aware of potential food supply challenges, which led her to study Food Technology. Her path took a romantic turn when she moved to Norway for love, and she further pursued her education in Biotechnology. Recognizing the impact of aquaculture on Norway’s food chain, she focused her studies on this field.

Her career at BioMar started even before she completed her master’s thesis. Initially, she worked in the Sourcing department for two years before transitioning to the R&D department. Her first task in her new role involved documenting the use of various raw materials and their value in formulation, including implementing raw materials like guar meal and algaeprime.

Monica’s contributions over her 12 years at BioMar span multiple species and regions, including salmon in Norway, the UK, Australia, and Chile, as well as shrimp in Ecuador and Vietnam. She has also provided research data for trials in Japanese seabass and sturgeon to BioMar China. Her journey has been inspiring, demonstrating how research can transform raw materials into valuable final products, optimizing nutrient utilization.

Her story is one of passion, innovation, and cultural integration. Her work in aquaculture has not only fulfilled her childhood dream but also allowed her to make a significant impact on global food production.

Monica’s message to aspiring aquaculture women is clear: “The future of food is blue, and women are at the forefront! While a Mexican woman in aquaculture might be uncommon, it grants you the extraordinary chance to feed the world through sustainable practices. Be uncommon, be extraordinary!”