Name: Helen Ann Hamilton
Title: Global Sustainability Manager – Technical
Company: BioMar
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Helen Ann Hamilton and I’m 36 years old. I hold a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Texas A&M University; a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Sustainable Technology from The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden and a Ph.D. in Industrial Ecology from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. I’ve lived abroad (outside of the US) 16 out of 36 years, essentially my entire adult life and when I moved to Stockholm, I only had 100 USD to my name. I managed to find a job to combine with studies in 3 days and built myself up from there.
How did you imagine your career when you were around 20 years old?
At 20 years old, I knew that my future career would be centred on sustainability because I’ve always had a passion for the environment and protecting it. What has surprised me is that I ended up in industry – a sector I never thought I would find myself in. At 20, I was convinced my life was headed for an academic career as a professor and researcher. Many circumstances led to this decision, with the main one being that I felt I could have more impact out in the real world.
What does a day in your life look like in your current role?
Despite my title sounding very specific, I have an extremely varied role. I work across the entire value chain, driving sustainability within the aquaculture industry wherever I find opportunities. A typical day could begin with setting up regenerative agriculture projects with a wheat supplier for BioMar, followed by developing science-based, in-house sustainability tools with my team. Later, I might join a meeting with BioMar management (spread across 17 sites in 13 countries) to monitor progress on our Science Based Targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I may also collaborate with an NGO to enhance scientific methods for measuring sustainability performance in aquaculture. Finally, I could wrap up the day by presenting a tailored sustainability solution to a customer.
What motivates and excites you the most about your career path and the leadership position you hold?
What excites me most about my career is the opportunity to apply my years of academic research to solving real-world problems in industry. The issues I am tackling are urgent, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the measurable progress we’re making as a company and as an industry. As a leader, I’m motivated by the chance to guide and inspire my team to contribute to these meaningful changes, knowing that our efforts have a real impact on the sustainability and future of aquaculture.
Share with us the biggest lessons you learned on your journey to where you are today.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to be firm when necessary but always, without exception, treat everyone with kindness and respect. Working in sustainability often feels like an uphill battle, requiring constant negotiation and pushing for change both internally and externally. This can make some people uncomfortable, and you will inevitably meet those who disagree or fail to see the value of your work. However, I’ve found that kindness and respect build bridges, even in difficult conversations. This has reinforced the old saying: ‘You catch more flies with honey.’ Ultimately, treating people with kindness not only fosters cooperation but also reflects the values I want to embody in my work and leadership.
Tell us about a role model who inspired you to become the leader you are today.
From ages 12 to 18, I worked as a cleaner for Lenore, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army who had a farm with a big house, animals, and countless responsibilities that required constant upkeep. Lenore was incredibly tough—her military background shining through in everything she did. I vividly remember her making me use toothpicks to clean the tiniest bits of dirt from the microscopic crack where the wall meets the floor – an area that no normal person would ever clean. While my friends were enjoying their summer vacations, I spent long days working at her house or in the barn.
Though it wasn’t a glamorous job, Lenore’s strength, confidence, and persistence left a lasting mark on me. She taught me to embrace challenges head-on, to value persistence, and to understand that real confidence comes from doing the hard things well. She also showed me the importance of fairness and respect—she treated me with the same care and dignity as her own daughter, despite not being part of her family. When things got tough, she stood up for me, teaching me to be fearless and steadfast in my own values.
Lenore wasn’t the kind of role model you might expect—a high-powered executive or public figure—but her influence during my formative years shaped me into the leader I am today. Her example showed me that leadership isn’t about titles or status; it’s about character, integrity, and the small, everyday actions that define who you are.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, or to other young female students today, what would it be?
My advice to young female students would be to lean into your confidence and never let anyone make you feel small. I’ve always felt confident in my abilities and my ideas, and that self-assurance has been my greatest asset. But I’ve also learned that being confident doesn’t mean you won’t face resistance or doubt from others. Be authentic to who you are, even when it feels like the easier path would be to conform. Remember, confidence isn’t about knowing all the answers; it’s about believing that you have every right to find them.
How do you see STEM education shaping the future?
STEM education is a cornerstone for shaping the future, as it equips individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. STEM fields are at the heart of developing credible, fact-based solutions that lead to positive outcomes.
Why is it important for you to promote diversity and inclusion within STEM?
When we encourage people from underrepresented groups to pursue STEM, we bring a broader range of perspectives and ideas to the table. This diversity is essential for driving innovation and ensuring that the solutions we develop are equitable and effective and inclusive of everyone.