Andrea Aguilar Sanchez
(She/Her)
Research Scientist
Born and raised in Costa Rica, Andrea was motivated by her mother to find beauty in science and math from an early age. This interest led her to get a bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC). She worked for four years for a medical device company on new product/process development, focused on polymer processing and packaging engineering.
Her enthusiasm for constant learning, developing new skills, and engaging with other cultures, prompted her to do her master’s studies in Spain and Sweden. There she felt passionate about finding substitutes for fossil-based polymers while working on materials from renewable resources. This interest led her to do her Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry at Stockholm University, focused on functional nanomaterials extracted from plants and shells, and used for water treatment.
She is highly motivated by meaningful projects, where she can find deep value and different ways to provide sustainable solutions to current challenges. Currently, she works in Helsinki at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland as a Research Scientist for the BioInspired materials group.
Andrea enjoys spending time doing yoga, hiking, jogging, trying new recipes, and reading books.
