INFORM February 2026

8 INFORM FEBRUARY 2026 , VOL. 37, NO. 2

INFORM: WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY? Acevedo: One of the biggest challenges I faced in my career was transitioning from academia to industry. The pace is quicker, the goals and priorities are different, and the success is measured in very different ways. To navigate that change, I leaned on my scientific foundation and focused on building strong relationships with colleagues

in R&D, marketing, consumer insights and operations. I also made a point to stay curious and open to learning, especially when it came to understanding the business side of innovation. That mindset helped me adapt to a new environment and find new ways to use my ability in a meaningful and impactful way. INFORM: HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR FIELD EVOLVING IN THE COMING YEARS? Acevedo: The field of lipids science and technology is evolving quickly. There is still a

big push toward plant-based and clean-label products, which is pushing us to explore alternative lipid sources (algal oils, fermentation derived lipids, etc) that can deliver both functionality and nutritional benefits. We are also seeing more interest in structured lipids and functional emulsifiers that can deliver health benefits and improve product performance.

Join AOCS for a webinar on how benchtop ESR and NMR systems bring fast, reliable insights to edible oil analysis from oxidative stability to authenticity testing. TRACKING EDIBLE OIL QUALITY WITH MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPONSORED WEBINAR | FEBRUARY 17, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. CST (5 UTC)

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