Monica Morales is a Ph.D. student in Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University, working under Dr. Mindy Brashears and Dr. Mark Miller. She specializes in food safety and applied food microbiology, with research focused on antimicrobial interventions to control Salmonella and E. coli in meat products. She holds a master’s degree in Animal and Food Sciences from Texas Tech University and brings over 10 years of industry experience in quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and food safety operations across Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work at the International Center for Food Industry Excellence focuses on bridging scientific research with practical, industry-based solutions to improve the safety and quality of meat products.