Dr. agr. Marwa Shumo
Awards
About me
Dr. Marwa Shumo—widely known as the “Lady of the Flies” for her pioneering work with Black Soldier Flies—is a scientist at the forefront of sustainable bioeconomy and insect-based waste transformation. Her research focuses on converting organic waste streams into high-value protein using Hermetia illucens, offering environmentally friendly alternatives for global food and feed production.
She holds a B.Sc. in Biotechnology, an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences, and a PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research (ZEF). Through her work, she has demonstrated how insect larvae can help tackle food insecurity, reduce environmental pressure from conventional livestock systems, and advance circular waste-to-resource pathways.
Dr. Shumo has contributed across both academia and industry, including positions as a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) and as an R&D Project Manager at BEETLEFOODS GmbH. She is a three-time Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Young Scientist and the 2023 Women Breakthrough Award (Innovation) recipient.
Celebrated for her science communication and public engagement, the “Lady of the Flies” continues to advocate for insect-based innovations as essential tools for a more sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient future.
Dr. Marwa Shumo is a scientist whose work sits at the intersection of bioeconomy, sustainable agriculture, and insect-based waste valorization. She is recognized internationally for her expertise in using the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) to convert organic waste into high-value protein for food and feed applications.
Dr. Shumo earned her B.Sc. in Biotechnology from the University of Nizwa in Oman . She later moved to Germany, completing an M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences at the University of Cologne and subsequently a PhD in Agricultural Sciences through the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn, as part of ZEF’s International Doctoral Programme in Development Research .
Her research focuses on organic waste recycling and the development of insect-based protein systems that can sustainably support global food and feed demands. Through her doctoral and postdoctoral work, she demonstrated how Black Soldier Fly larvae can transform urban and agricultural waste into nutrient-rich biomass—offering a circular, low-impact alternative to conventional livestock feed production and contributing solutions to food insecurity, waste management, and environmental degradation .
Professionally, Dr. Shumo has held roles across both academia and industry. She has served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Germany and worked as an R&D Project Manager at BEETLEFOODS GmbH, while remaining an associated researcher at ZEF in Bonn .
Dr. Shumo is also an active science communicator and has been recognized for her leadership and innovation. She is a three-time Young Scientist at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings (2020, 2021, 2023) and the 2023 Women Breakthrough Award (Innovation) recipient from the Falling Walls Foundation and Elsevier Foundation . Known affectionately as the “Lady of the Flies,” she frequently engages the public on issues related to sustainable protein, bioeconomy, and the role of insects in addressing global resource challenges .
Through her research, industry collaboration, and public outreach, Dr. Marwa Shumo is a leading voice in the movement toward sustainable, insect-based solutions for future food systems.
Degrees:
p. 106262.
https://doi.org/10.1603/ICE.2016.106262
https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1002449
11628.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811628
in Microbiology, 12, 687103.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.687103