Dr Denise Quiroz Martinez

Dr Denise Quiroz-Martínez is a Lecturer in Education at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling. Originally from Chile, she is a qualified teacher of Chemistry and Biology, registered by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) in both Secondary Education – Biology with Science and Secondary Education – Chemistry with Science. She brings extensive classroom and academic experience to her work, with a strong commitment to developing learners’ scientific skills and fostering curiosity across all stages of education. Dr Quiroz-Martínez has taught science to a wide range of age groups in varied school contexts across Chile. She has worked with young learners aged 5–10, nurturing early scientific thinking through exploration and foundational experiences. For older students (aged 9–17), she has taught general science and chemistry with a strong emphasis on experimentation and outdoor learning. She has also taught biology to senior secondary students (aged 14–18), helping them deepen their scientific understanding and critical thinking. These diverse teaching experiences have shaped her pedagogical practice and reinforced her commitment to making science education accessible, inclusive, and engaging for all learners. She holds a PhD and MA in Science Education from University College London (Institute of Education), and a first-class BSc in Chemistry and Biology Education from the University of Santiago of Chile. Her doctoral research explored how Chilean chemistry teachers integrate sustainability into their teaching, identifying both the opportunities and constraints of embedding environmental education within chemistry curricula. Her work highlights the need for critical reflection on classroom realities and teachers’ practices in addressing global challenges through science education. Dr Quiroz-Martínez’s research and academic interests span science education, teacher education and professional learning, curriculum and assessment development, and environmental and sustainability education (ESE). She actively contributes to the international education research community through publications in journals such as Teaching and Teacher Education, Environmental Education Research, and the Journal of Chemical Education, and serves on editorial boards and professional societies. She was Academic Director of the Chilean Society of Science Education (SChEC)(2022-2024), is an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and a member of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA). Her work is grounded in values of social justice, interdisciplinarity, and transformative pedagogy. She welcomes inquiries and collaborations related to teacher education and agency, chemistry education, education for sustainability, socio-scientific issues (SSI), and interdisciplinary approaches to curriculum and pedagogy.

Teacher agency Learning for sustainability Education for sustainability Chemistry education Socio Scientific Issues (SSI) Interdisciplinary perspective for teaching Teacher initial and professional development Teacher Education