Dr. M. Laura Rolon received her B.S. degree in Food Science and Technology from University of Buenos Aires (Argentina). She spent 7 years working in her home country at the National Dairy Research Institute, where she contributed significantly to addressing quality and safety concerns in the dairy industry. As a product developer, she was instrumental in creating innovative dairy products such as whey-based beverages, lactose-free cheeses, and reduced-fat ice cream formulations. She held an instructor position at the Technological University in Uruguay, where she taught courses related to dairy processing. Laura completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Science at Penn State University. Her doctoral research was focused on investigating the impact of environmental microbiota on the persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing facilities. Starting in September 2024, Laura will begin a new role as Assistant Professor in Food Safety at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She will develop a comprehensive teaching and research program aimed at controlling foodborne pathogens, exploring the potential of multi-omics methods to gain deeper insights into the prevalence, sources, epidemiology, and prevention of foodborne pathogens within the food system.