PhD Alumnus Carlos Moreno Miranda
Carlos Moreno Miranda wrote his PhD thesis on the topic: “Improving the sustainability of fruit and vegetable supply chains in Ecuador - The role of organization and coordination “. He currently holds a position as an associate professor at the Faculty of Food Engineering and Biotechnology at the Universidad Técnica de Ambato in Ecuado, where he is responsible for teaching Statistics, Experimental Design, and Food Legislation, In addition, he teaches in the Agricultural Economics module at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, and he teaches a module on Sustainable Agribusiness at the postgraduate level at the Universidad Agraria del Ecuador. Apart from his lecturing duties, he is leading a start-up focused on the circular economy, specifically aiming to develop products for the construction sector using post-industrial waste such as cocoa and coffee husks/waste, egg husk, and post-harvest waste from the floriculture sector.
I particularly enjoy having the opportunity to engage with students and convey aspects that inspire them. Additionally, I am motivated by collaborating with colleagues as we continually seek improvements in research. In the field of entrepreneurship, I appreciate the chance to contribute solutions to the global environmental issue, utilizing existing resources in my country
A combination of the interactions with and support from colleagues at the AEP group and the courses that Carlos took during his time in Wageningen have provided skills and insights that are useful in his career. Three skills that come to mind are: coordination, adaptation and effective communication. His current job offers opportunities for continuous learning, an aspect that Carlos appreciates a lot. For instance, through his activities he has come to know the term Industrial Symbiosis. “I feel I identify with this term because it has many familiar aspects. For example, coordination is fundamental to achieving Industrial Symbiosis. However, I see that this term is exclusive to industrial parks. I believe that the principles of Industrial Symbiosis can be extrapolated to the agricultural sector, to supply chains/networks, and to the impact on the sustainability of agri-food systems. I would like to learn more about Industrial Symbiosis from an agricultural economic perspective.”