On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we wanted to interview some women from the Stoller Europe team who have developed and continue to develop their profession in different areas of science.
Get to know them below:
Elena Roca
Quality Manager
Why did you decide to be a Chemist?
When I started to study chemistry in high school, I understood that chemistry is in everything around us. It was my curiosity to know more and where certain processes come from that led me to decide to be a Chemist.
Do you have a reference in Science? Who and why?
As a woman and a chemist, one of the leading figures in Science cannot be other than Marie Curie, the first female scientist to receive a Nobel Prize in a world fully dominated by men. Her discovery of the element radium and its applications in radiology represented a great advance in the field of medicine, which continues to this day, for example in cancer treatments.
What are your roles at Stoller?
As Quality Manager, I work on the development and optimization of Stoller products. I must also ensure traceability and good practices throughout the production process, from the validation of raw materials to the dispatch of products.
What do you like most about your job?
The project that Stoller has in front of him allows me to work on continuous innovation of products and processes, which makes it a very dynamic job, which does not let me fall into a routine. In addition to this, collaborating in the improvement of a sector as important as Agriculture, makes it more attractive
Why would you encourage girls to develop their professional careers in the field of Science?
The field of Science is in continuous movement and renewal and its role is key to improve many current problems such as pollution, the fight against diseases or agriculture, as a key economic activity at the service of the growing demand for food worldwide. For this, it will be necessary to create a more productive agricultural sector, capable of producing more with less respecting the environment. The new generations are being aware of these needs for change, and science gives them the tools to carry it out.
Elodie Brans
Area Manager
Why did you decide to specialize in Plant Biotechnology?
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work in plant science. I was passionate about scientific research and with my work I wanted to add value to the sector developing modern agriculture and taking care of the environment.
Do you have a reference in Science? Who and why?
Marguerite Perey. France 1909-1975. She was the first woman to enter the French Academy of Sciences. She worked with Marie Curie and discovered element number 87 on the periodic table. She named it francium in honor of her country.
What are your roles at Stoller?
Area Manager (France and Switzerland)
What do you like the most about your job?
The contact with nature and plants allows me to grow as a person and as a professional. It is very gratifying for me to be able to share knowledge with professionals in the sector and together develop sustainable agriculture.
Why would you encourage girls to develop their professional careers in the field of Science?
Girl scientists are essential because they are a first step in promoting the visibility of science. Promote a change at an early age so that we are all aware that science is essential for our future.
Nezha Abbassi
Regulatory Affairs Responsible
Why did you decide to be an Agricultural Technical Engineer?
I chose this profession because I am passionate about science, I love food production, nature and the environment. I like the development, investigation and resolution of specific problems necessary to practice this profession effectively. Also, due to the variety of skills, ranging from assistance in the design of an agricultural machine to the search for a remedy for the pathologies contracted by a crop. The experience is in the union between agronomic engineering, animal and plant biology and biotechnologies.
Do you have a reference in Science? Who and why?
Rachel Carson. She was a marine biologist who despite the living conditions of her time, was able to denounce that the excessive use of pesticides had caused a decrease in the bird population, through her book “Silent Spring” in 1962. In turn, it contributed to the launching of modern environmental awareness.
The book prompted a shift in national pesticide policy and inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
What are your roles at Stoller?
I am Regulatory Affairs Responsible. I participate in the development, communication and implementation of the regulatory strategy of products to obtain and maintain records ensuring that the company has the “right of sale” in the specific local market.
Likewise, I am responsible for the integrity and accuracy of all regulatory presentations related to the products. Compilation of data and documents required for national and international presentation, as well as the maintenance of regulatory databases to identify registrations and / or approvals in progress.
I am also responsible for identifying and resolving problems that could affect a registration before, during and after the initial registration.
Monitoring of the registration processes and files, periodically presenting the requests and required documents to the local authorities.
Maintain permanent contact with official bodies and regulatory authorities to request registration authorizations to defend the company’s projects, and to actively follow changes in the regulations that may affect the development of projects.
Participate in the development strategy of new products coordinating actions with different departments in the process.
What do you like most about your job?
What I like the most about my job is the motivation to keep improving every day, looking for different ways to expand my knowledge and learn new things continuously since at the Regulatory level, laws are constantly being changed so I always pay more attention to everything that is changing at the regulatory level. Facing this challenge means developing and increasing my interest in the activities that I perform on a daily basis.
Why would you encourage girls to develop their professional careers in the field of Science?
Because science is part of our lives and it is important that this is present in their minds. They must be encouraged to study technical careers and be creative from a young age, be enterprising and restless. Currently, there are very few women represented in science and future generations should add more women in the field of science.
Having the first women scientists present and knowing under what conditions they were able to develop their profession and their lives (in some cases dressed as men or using male pseudonyms, or in the shadow of their husbands or bosses) helps to set an example.
Vanessa Garrido
Product Manager
Why did you decide to be an Agricultural Engineer?
I decided to study Agronomic Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia because it was the option that combined the disciplines that I liked the most: mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry.
In addition, when I could practice my profession I knew that, together with my colleagues, I could take advantage of the soil, water and climate without damaging them and respecting the environment, generating food that would benefit the development of society. It could also, why not? Invent new equipment, adapt technology to improve plants, animals, greenhouses, farms …, develop efficient ways of using soil, energy and water. In addition to helping farmers and ranchers, ensuring human health through quality controls, waste treatment or the development of biodegradable or biofuel products …
To all this, we had to add a clear family influence on the part of my maternal grandfather. He used to tell me with a certain frequency and in order to instill in my respect for any profession: “My Maja, neither would the king eat if the farmer did not work,” a phrase from Lope de Vega that I learned since I was a child.
Do you have a reference in Science? Who and why?
I have several references in Science, but I have a special admiration for the Spanish biochemist Margarita Salas, a disciple of Severo Ochoa, who focused her research on the field of molecular biology. One of her contributions to science was the discovery of DNA polymerase, which is responsible for DNA replication. Dr. Salas has more than three hundred and fifty publications in international magazines or books and about ten in national media. She was also the holder of eight patents and gave some four hundred lectures.
She belonged to several of the most prestigious national and international scientific institutes and societies, collaborating and being a member of the editorial board of important scientific publications. She obtained different awards and recognitions, was named European Researcher 1999 by Unesco and received King Jaime I Prize for Research in 1994. She was appointed director of the Institute of Spain (1995-2003), an organization that brings together the entire Royal Spanish Academies. She was a member of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, the Royal Spanish Academy, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, the American Society for Microbiology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, among others.
In addition, she was named honorary doctorate by 12 Spanish universities.
What are your roles at Stoller?
I work as Product Manager, within the Product Marketing area in the Communication department, carrying out the positioning of Stoller solutions, preparing sales arguments, planning operational actions and generating sales tools; Likewise, we organize periodic meetings with the Area Managers in order to implement and monitor and develop the Business Development Plans.
When Covid-19 allows us, we will prospect, visit and maintain business relationships with customers, we will visit customers and farmers in order to provide specialized advice and learn about needs, conduct market research and analysis, etc.
What do you like most about your job?
An agronomist, from my point of view, must be “all terrain”, and by “all terrain” I mean that you must be comfortable both in the field and in an office. That is one of the things that attracts me the most about my profession, being able to combine field work with office work. In addition, to carry out our work successfully, we must be detailed, analytical, decisive, curious and know how to work as a team. This is the part that I like the most, they fostered camaraderie at the Valencia School of Agronomists, there was always a very healthy environment and they asked us to do many projects and group work with other colleagues.
Why would you encourage girls to develop their professional careers in the field of Science?
I encourage all girls to consider their studies and life, why not? As a challenge, a challenge that must be faced with dedication, effort, care and, above all, humility and perseverance. That without effort there is no reward and that, both women and men, as professionals and as people, we can solve everything that arises, helping others and counting on the support of our colleagues and coworkers.