Modesto Andrés Guillén Ordoñez, a Honduran national, is a third-year student majoring in Food and Science Technology. He is regarded by his classmates as the go-to person for fun, lovely, and inspiring photo-sessions. He is also a hopeful and driven seeker of innovative food processing mechanisms, an arduous and significant task to undertake. His innovative approach to science and hardworking spirit got him a scholarship to be part of the Academic Week events this past February, sponsored by the Honduras Global foundation. This is a national foundation that identifies and connects talented local young people with high-achieving Hondurans living abroad to transfer and promote multidisciplinary knowledge and innovative ideas to contribute to the development of the country. This is a student with exceptional talent and curiosity that has found an academically stimulating environment here at Zamorano. His imaginative approach to science is appreciated and his passion for photography puts a smile on people’s faces.
As a teenager, Modesto would borrow his mom’s professional camera from work to take it to his school and get shots of different places and people. No one taught him how to use the camera, he just picked it up and shot away realizing it was something he immensely enjoyed doing. As far as picture quality goes, he realized he had much to learn even when people told him he was doing a good job despite his lack of proper instructions on the matter. He went out of his way to hone his innate skills. Do-it-yourself videos on the internet became his best allies to bring life to his pictures and began to learn all the mechanics of his new sophisticated camera.
It seemed like a long wait, but he was able to save every penny that landed in his hands, and with his mom’s matching gifts towards his goal, he was finally able to buy a camera of his own. Modesto’s mother was a hard working single parent that provided for the needs of all her three children, and given their financial circumstances, laying hands on a professional camera was not an easy happening. Modesto’s persistence, determination and family support made it possible. However, even after following all imaginable steps on how to take the perfect picture, Modesto realized his photos did not look like the impeccable and highly attractive ones on professional internet sites. He needed photo-editing software, which he quickly sought out through friends, and got to work on how to use those convenient image tools.
Take a look at Modesto’s lively pictures featuring ZAMORANO’s beautiful campus and people.
When he is not out taking videos or finding the perfect lighting for group shots, he is diligently doing his academic work that includes research for his thesis.
His project seeks to evaluate the effects of using pulsed electric fields and anthocyanins on food preservation technologies as a non-thermal mechanism that would maintain food safety and quality. With the help of his professors, Modesto hopes to contribute to the wealth of knowledge dedicated to suggest new ideas that would not diminish but preserve as much as possible the quality and freshness of food people buy in the market.
Participating in the Academic Week gave Modesto a boost to his already eager initiative to contribute to the development of nations starting with his own country. Meeting, Salvador Moncada, for the first time was one of the highlights of the Academic Week events. Salvador Moncada is an outstanding Honduran-British scientists and professor at the University College London living in the United Kingdom. He was the one that conceived the idea of creating a Honduran network of scientists living abroad to share knowledge that would nourish driven young spirits in the country. Sharing ideas and listening to other people’s perspectives on different subjects was an invaluable experience for Modesto, who after finishing his education at ZAMORANO would like to continue onto postgraduate studies on Food Chemistry.
When asked to talk about what his experience has been like here at ZAMORANO, Modesto can’t help but feel overwhelming gratefulness for all he has learned and lived through so far. He particularly appreciates the “invisible curriculum”, that teaches students about respect for one another, persistence and other values that shape his character and outlook towards community life and society as a whole. He excitedly shared that another delightful challenge he took on was to lead the folk-dancing club. He hopes to help the team meet victory this year in a most-awaited competition.
The ZAMORANO community is very proud to have students like Modesto that contribute to making life on campus a vibrant and unforgettable experience while showing their serious commitment to feeding the world.
