Carmen Vela facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carmen Vela
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Carmen Vela in 2015
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Carmen Vela Olmo
25 March 1955 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Alma mater | Complutense University of Madrid |
| Occupation | Secretary of Ministry of Economy and Finance (Spain) |
Carmen Vela Olmo, born on March 25, 1955, is a Spanish scientist and businesswoman. She is known for her work in research and for serving as a high-ranking government official in Spain. She helped lead efforts in science and new discoveries.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Carmen Vela was born in Sigüenza, Spain, in 1955. She studied Chemical Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid. There, she became an expert in Biochemistry, which is the study of chemical processes in living things. For five years, she researched allergies at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation.
Career in Biotechnology
In 1982, Carmen Vela began working at a company called Ingenasa. This company focused on biotechnology, which uses living systems and organisms to make products. Ingenasa was created by the National Institute of Industry.
She moved to the Centre of Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa. There, she worked on an important project. This project aimed to create vaccines and tests for the African swine plague virus. This virus was a serious problem in Spain at the time.
Leading Ingenasa
In 1988, Ingenasa became a private company. Later, after some changes, Carmen Vela and two partners bought the company. From 1994 onwards, Carmen Vela became the general director of Ingenasa. This meant she was in charge of the company's operations.
Scientific Contributions
Carmen Vela has written many scientific papers. She also holds several patents in the United States and Europe. A patent protects an invention, giving the inventor rights over it.
She has also served on many important committees. These committees evaluate national and European science programs. For example, she was part of the advisory board for a big European research program. She also advised the CSIC, a major Spanish research organization.
Leadership Roles
Carmen Vela has held leadership positions in scientific groups. Until 2010, she was the president of the Association of Women Researchers and Technologists (AMIT). This group supports women in science and technology. From 2010 to 2012, she was also the president of the Spanish Society of Biotechnology (SEBIOT).
Government Role
In January 2012, Carmen Vela took on a very important role in the Spanish government. She became the Secretary of State of Investigation, Development and Innovation. This position meant she was a key leader in promoting science, new discoveries, and new technologies for the country. She served under Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
Carmen Vela is married and has two children.
See also
In Spanish: Carmen Vela para niños
