Hilario holds a Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology from the University of Panama, a Master’s degree of Science in Crop Protection from the University of Göttingen in Germany, and a Master’s degree in Project Management from the Euncet Business School in Barcelona. Hilario has worked for more than a decade in basic and applied research in plant-fungus interactions, as well as developing science education and capacity building. He has worked with the government of the Republic of Panama to create opportunities for Panamanian students at all academic levels. Hilario was an IAI STeP Fellow hosted by the Belmont Forum in Community Development Support and Transdisciplinary Research in Global Environmental Change (GEC).