Jenny Ruales graduated as a Chemical Engineer from EPN. She received her PhD from the University of Lund, Sweden. Her research focuses on the characterization of raw materials and food products, valorization of native products, development of functional foods, use of emerging technologies, and the development of edible, biodegradable, and bioactive films. She has published numerous articles related to food technology and received several awards during her career, including the Eugenio Espejo Prize in Science and Technology of Ecuador 2020, and is a Teacher/Researcher at DECAB_EPN. She currently serves as director of the PhD program in Food Science and Technology at EPN.