Mary Fernandes currently serves as an Executive in Residence at BioGenerator. She is also Co-Founder and President of Solis Agrosciences, a plant sciences company delivering specialized research services to agricultural startups.

She worked for over two decades at Monsanto and Bayer in multiple science and strategy leadership roles driving Ag Biotech R&D. She was named Inventor of the Year in 2011 by the Bar Association of Metropolitan St Louis and appointed a Monsanto and Bayer Science Fellow. Mary also has extensive experience in external business development, partnership management, IP strategy development, and portfolio management. Previously, she was also a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Mumbai, India.

Mary is a strong advocate for women and girls, especially in STEM education and workforce development. She serves on the Women’s Leadership Society cabinet of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and helped launch the inaugural United Way WLS Mentoring Program in 2022. She also serves as a mentor for the St. Louis International Mentoring Program.

Mary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, and a Master’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Mumbai. She holds a Doctorate in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.