Dr. Helen Hamilton: a story about passion in sustainability

Born and raised in Sealy, Texas, Helen's interest in sustainability was born during her high school days. She pursued her passion through various educational paths, starting with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. During this time, she spent late nights on rooftops measuring NOx pollution using lasers as part of a research project. Continuing her educational journey, Helen obtained a master's degree in mechanical engineering, specialising in sustainability technology and ended up completing a PhD in Industrial Ecology, where she focused on improving the sustainability of food production systems, particularly within aquaculture.

During her PhD, Helen realized that she wanted to work in the aquaculture industry, seeing it as one of the best options for sustainably producing food. She joined BioMar in 2020 as a sustainability specialist and moved into a managerial role in 2022.

Helen’s work at BioMar has allowed her to be part of positive changes within the industry that she didn’t think were possible. She says that she feels like she has a real influence over the transformation of the industry. One of her achievements is the development of the BioSustain Life Cycle Assessment Tool, a tool that measures the environmental performance of BioMar’s products and helps customers make informed choices. Helen is also involved in various projects and initiatives that aim to reduce aquaculture's environmental impact, and she presented at several conferences in 2023 the first LCA for Ecuadorian farmed shrimp.

Helen inspires many young women who want to pursue a career in aquaculture and sustainability. She says that her advice for them is to follow their passion, be curious, and never stop learning.

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Watch Helens podcast episode at AquaEXPO down below:

Main factors influencing the carbon footprint of farmed shrimp in Ecuador