Civil engineer who holds a master from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) and a Ph.D. from the Rutgers University (USA), Dr. Valenzuela is currently an associate professor at UC, in the School of Engineering and the Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering. Passionate about teaching and helping the undergraduate and graduate students, professor Valenzuela has dedicated all her scientific career to study different polymeric materials for biomedical and food technology applications. Recently, she has been recognized for creating and leading a spin-off called “FishExtend”, which developed a product to extend the shelf life of fresh fish using only natural ingredients. This endeavor has received several awards and has capture the interest of the industry.