Evangelina Villegas (October 24, 1924 – April 24, 2017) was a Mexican food scientist.[1][2][3] Villegas invented a type of maize called QPM.[3][2][1] QPM (Quality Protein Maize) has twice as much lysine and tryptophan (important amino acids) as regular maize.[2] Kids who consume QPM grow 15% faster than kids who consume regular maize.[2][4][1] It puts children at a significantly lowered risk of malnutrition disorders.[1] QPM has helped people around the world.[1][4] It now makes up 75% of the corn grown in Ghana.
Villegas attended the National Polytech Institute.[2] She received a bachelor's in chemistry and biology there.[2] She later received her masters in cereal technology from Kansas State in the 1960s.[2] Villegas also earned a PhD in cereal chemistry and breeding from North Dakota State University.[2][1]
Evangelina Villegas first worked as a chemist and researcher at Mexico’s National Institute of Nutrition in the 1950s.[1] She then worked in the Wheat Industrial Quality Chemical Laboratory at the Special Studies Office in 1957.[1] Villegas moved on to work at CIMMYT in 1967.[1]
Villegas worked at CIMMYT from 1967 to 1989.[1] She conducted research to analyze nutrition in corn.[4] She collaborated with Dr. Surinder Vasal.[4] [1] Vasal was a plant breeder. He had a pHd in genetics and plant breeding. Vasal and Villegas worked together to create QPM.[4][1][2] QPM saves lives and lowers the risk of malnutrition.[4][1][2] It has key amino acids in it to help children.[2][4][1]
Evangelina Villegas was the first woman to get the World Food Prize.[2][1] Mexico’s National institute for Agriculture honored her. The National Polytech Institute titled Villegas as a Distinguished Former Student in 1972.[1] The National Polytechnic Institute’s school of Biological Sciences also honored her six years later. Villegas was added to Alpha Delta Kappa’s List of International Women of Distinction. She received the Lazardo Cardenas medal in 2001.[1]