In 2022, Odette Marie Varela Milla, a Salvadoran national and alumnus of the NPUST Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, won the Ministry of Education’s 3rd Distinguished Taiwan Alumni Award. Milla received her Ph.D. from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) in 2013, and is currently serving as the General Director of the National School of Agriculture in El Salvador, where she is actively working to cultivate agricultural talent for her country. Due to the fact that border control and quarantine measures were still in place in Taiwan when the names were announced, Dr. Milla was presented with her award locally by a Taiwan representatives office representative.
Dr. Milla received a master’s degree in Agribusiness Management from NPUST in 2007 and her doctorate degree in Agriculture and Environmental Engineering in 2013. During her five-year doctoral studies, Milla focused on agriculture waste management for biochar production and evaluated the impact that bottom ashes from waste incineration plants have on agriculture. During this time, she successfully published 9 scientific papers on her research.
In September 2013, Milla returned to El Salvador, and from October of the same year to January 2015 she worked as an operations manager/researcher for a company that develops Bio-fertilizers containing microorganisms. In February 2015, Milla was offered the opportunity to work for the National Water Company of El Salvador as an Environmental Technician responsible for supervising environmental impact studies and environmental diagnostics for potable water treatment plants. Five years later, Milla moved to the Dominican Republic to work as the Director of the Postgraduate School at the Cibao Catholic University (UCATECI), but returned to El Salvador in October 2021 by the request of the Minister of Agriculture to serve as General Director of the National School of Agriculture (ENA).
At NPUST, Milla studied in multiple fields of professional learning, including Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Waste Management, and Environmental Engineering. When she returned to El Salvador, she made major contributions both to industry and society by applying what she had learned to her various positions of employment and introducing different aspects of Taiwan’s research to her country. After accumulating job experience, Milla began investing herself in educational activities, and served as a pioneer in the cultivation of professional talent in her field. In this way, the techniques and knowledge she had acquired have been impacting many—and she has brought much pride to her alma mater, NPUST.
In order to recognize the outstanding performances of foreigners who have studied in Taiwan, and inspire foreign students to aim high, the Ministry of Education has been holding the Distinguished Taiwan Alumni Awards biennially since 2018. Upon receiving recommendation, between five and 10 foreign alumni who have made outstanding contributions in academics, business, politics, humanities, communication or other professional fields at home or abroad are selected. NPUST was previously honored to see Asterio Appi, a native of Nauru and alumnus of the Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, win the award in its first offering in 2018. And now, Milla has once again put the spotlight back on National Pingtung University of Science and Technology through her accomplishments. In the future, NPUST aims to continue to uphold its heavy responsibility as an institution of education and will continue to focus on cultivating sustainable talent for the world.
