Pathways in Spectroscopy, Episode 2: Mercedes Bertotto Recounts Her Career Journey from Argentina to the Netherlands

“Pathways in Spectroscopy” is an ongoing vertical video series that highlights emerging leaders in spectroscopy and the various career paths spectroscopists can take.¹ In this episode, Mercedes Bertotto, who is the Founder of Vibralytics, discusses her background in spectroscopy, highlighting how her experience working in a national reference laboratory in Argentina led to her next opportunity to work with chemometrics and spectral sensing in the Netherlands.²

Mercedes Bertotto: I have studied for many years; I am a full scientist. I studied for three years in theoretical chemistry and then the other three years in industrial application. That's my background. I also completed a doctorate in engineering in Argentina. After that, I started working in the national reference laboratory in Argentina, where we were responsible for food safety, and I worked there in the NIR and chemometrics area, focusing in preventing food adulteration. So, for example, one process we used was related to the detection of particles of animal origin in bone ashes in order to prevent medical diseases. That process was carried out also using microscopy. Another process was related to the detection of different syrups in honey. We used many different syrups and a combination of them, and the aim was to classify pure honey from adulterated honey. So, I worked in many years of many different applications related to spectroscopy in Argentina.

Then I moved to the Netherlands, where I worked in Wageningen University and Research as a researcher in chemometrics and spectral sensing as well. There, I worked on 15 different projects, all related to chemometrics and also hyperspectral imaging or imaging spectroscopy. Some, as people say so one, one project, for example, was related to the classification of tomatoes, according to their susceptibility to fungal infection. That was carried out with a hyperspectral imaging, but I used many different applications in my work, all related to the analysis of data.

This video series with Bertotto will cover numerous topics, including how spectroscopists can start their own businesses. Stay tuned!

References

1. Wetzel, W. Pathways in Spectroscopy, Episode 1: Sarah Theiner on Transitioning from Research to Sales. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/pathways-in-spectroscopy-episode-1-sarah-theiner-on-transitioning-from-research-to-sales (accessed 2026-02-06).
2. Wetzel, W. Previewing Pathways in Spectroscopy: Starting A Spectroscopy Business. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/previewing-pathways-in-spectroscopy-starting-a-spectroscopy-business (accessed 2026-02-17).