•Professional Achievement I •

Education:
-Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering — Rice University
-B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering — University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez

When Dr. Maria Rodriguez-Moya joined Shell USA, Inc. in 2018, she was stepping into one of the world’s largest energy companies with a résumé that already spanned pharmaceuticals, chemical engineering, and advanced research. Within a few years, she was leading work on Shell’s V-Power Nitro+ gasoline, a high-profile project that helped bring her technical expertise to millions of drivers. Today, as Global Fuels Planning Lead, she oversees launch activities in more than 80 markets and helps shape the future of advanced fuels around the world.

Her path to this role began in Puerto Rico, where she grew up in a home that prized education and discipline. Maria’s mother taught biology at the University of Puerto Rico, and her father, once a math teacher, later served in the Army. That foundation sparked a curiosity that carried her from undergraduate research on magnetic nanoparticles to internships with pharmaceutical giants Merck, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer. At Pfizer, her interaction with peers and aptitude at problem solving in product quality convinced her to pursue graduate degrees.

At Rice University, the soon to be Dr. Rodriguez-Moya earned her Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering, contributing to a multi-university project that re-engineered E. coli to produce renewable chemicals. It was also a defining period personally—she married and became a mother for the first time, learning to balance research deadlines with family milestones.

After completing her Ph.D. in 2015, she applied her skills in diverse fields: first at a water purification startup, then at a global mining and chemicals company where she became a subject matter expert in hydrocarbon analysis. Each role sharpened her expertise and positioned her for the leap to Shell, where she quickly earned recognition for both her technical acumen and her ability to lead across diverse teams.

Dr. Rodriguez-Moya’s impact extends well beyond the lab. In 2022, she was elected president of the Shell Hispanic Employee Network in Houston, helping colleagues reconnect through in-person events after the pandemic. She also dedicates time to mentoring and outreach—volunteering with the Society of Women Engineers’ “Introduce a Girl to Engineering,” presenting virtually for Ciencia Puerto Rico’s “Seeds of the Future,” and supporting startups through the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust.

Her story is as much about leadership as it is about science. Whether coordinating the launch of fuels across continents or encouraging the next generation of innovators, Rodriguez-Moya brings the same qualities—curiosity, resilience, and a drive to create meaningful impact. From her beginnings in Puerto Rico to her current role guiding Shell’s global fuels portfolio, she embodies the blend of technical brilliance and human connection that the energy industry needs as it navigates an uncertain future.