Varinia Bernales

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DISC Type : ic

Director of Research at University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Overview

Varinia Bernales is an Assistant Professor and Director of Research at the University of Toronto, specializing in inorganic and materials chemistry. A 2024 C&EN Trailblazer, her career spans industry roles at Dow and UL Research Institutes. She received her education from the Universidad de Chile.

Passionate about creating a positive impact, she is a recognized leader and role model within the Hispanic technical community. She is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists to help solve significant societal challenges through chemistry.

Her research focuses on the complex challenge of activating dinitrogen to create more sustainable chemical manufacturing processes.

Personality Overview

Example Seeker

Value Driven

Assertive

They are generally good communicators and can be hard to convince.  They can sound friendly and charming but can quickly change gears to become inquisitive and probing. They ask a lot of questions and rely heavily on information and collaterals.

Topics They Care About

Sustainable Chemistry
Her core research aims to develop more energy-efficient and sustainable methods for chemical synthesis, particularly for ammonia production.
Dinitrogen Activation
This is her specific area of academic expertise, focusing on breaking the strong triple bond in nitrogen molecules for use in chemical reactions.
Hispanic Community in STEM
She was honored as a GMiS Luminary for her significant contributions as a leader and role model for the Hispanic community in technology and science.

Media Appearances

Varinia Bernales | AI & Quantum Chemistry - University of Toronto. Featured in University of Toronto – Matter Lab

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Work History

4-2025
Director of Research at University of Toronto
11-2023 - 3-2025
Lead Research Scientist - ULRI at UL Research Institutes
2-2021 - 11-2023
Associate Research Scientist at Dow
4-2018 - 2-2021
Senior Research Specialist at Dow
6-2014 - 3-2018
Postdoctoral Research Associate at University of Minnesota

Education

2010 - 2014
Universidad de Chile from Universidad de Chile

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 11 Location : Toronto, Ontario, Canada Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director of Research at University of Toronto
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Insights For Selling To Varinia

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Persuade objectively how your product will help them achieve their goals
  • Share testimonials from known people and give multiple examples of product value
  • Invite them for a social do but don’t rely solely on the relationship

DONT's

  • Don’t brush off any concerns, take all questions seriously
  • Don’t try to rush them into a decision, provide all necessary information first
  • Avoid making offhand commitments

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Varinia is

  • Proven value, strong testimonials are important for them, rapport can impact decisions a little.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Varinia

  • They are practical and friendly, don't expect a clear-cut response often.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Varinia move?

  • They like to perform full analysis and can take time to make any decision.
  • Can Varinia take some risk or not?

  • They weigh all decisions systematically and are unlikely to take many risks.

You And Varinia

Personality Compatibility


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