I am Mirari Arancibia, a food microbiologist and biotechnologist based at the Faculty of Science and Engineering in Food and Biotechnology, Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ecuador. I earned my B.Eng. in Food Science with honors from UTA. A DAAD fellowship in Argentina taught me UV-Vis, FTIR and NMR spectroscopy for analysis, and a SENESCYT scholarship in Spain trained me in extracting biopolymers from agro-wastes to create biodegradable packaging with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. From 2019 to 2024, I served as Dean at UTA-Ambato, modernizing curricula, securing research funding, attaining international accreditation and expanding community outreach. My research encompasses plant bioactives: antioxidant and antimicrobial extracts for functional foods. Biodegradable packaging: pectin, chitosan, SPI- and cellulose-based composites with active barrier functions. Industrial fermentation: optimized microbial consortia and bioreactor scale-up for acids, enzymes and metabolites. Lipid profiling: physicochemical and fatty-acid analysis of underused seed oils (tocte, passion fruit, squash). I teach in Food and Industrial Microbiology and Biochemistry, supervising 26 theses (undergraduate to doctoral). I serve on editorial boards, peer-review for national agencies, and organize STEM equity symposiums. Moving forward, I aim to mentor young women in tackling global food-security and sustainability challenges.