Research group Neuroeducation, Science and Society

We are a group of researchers, professors, and experts from different areas and institutions who study the value of science and its knowledge in different fields. Our lines of work and research are focused on:

  • The emotional responses when we learn.
  • The neuroscientific basis of learning.
  • The science present in the environment of citizens.
  • The social perception of science.
  • The economic value of science in society.
  • The liaison between companies, science and society.
  • Teacher training.

Members

Ángel Ezquerra

Ángel Ezquerra


PhD in Didactic of Physics and Associate Professor in Science Education at Complutense University of Madrid. He is director of Research Group NeuroEducation, Science and Society, and has participated in 6 R+T+I Projects. He has published more than 50 articles, and has an extensive list of conferences, talks, books, chapters about scientific literacy, neuroeducation, and the uses of media in teacher training. He has directed several documentary films for science teachers training and was a speaker at the Plan on the National Strategy for Lifelong Learning. Spanish Ministry of Education.

Joseph Mafokozi

Joseph Mafokozi


PhD in Educational Sciences. He has been a full professor at the University, attached to the Department of Research and Psychology in Education (UCM) until recently. Currently, he is a retired professor and still a member of the Neuroeducation, Science and Society research group Neuroscience, Science and Society. He has participated in 15 research projects, collaborated as a member of the scientific committees of several journals, published more than 30 articles, and presented papers at a number of national and international conferences. Some of his research interests were: techniques to incorporate educationally relevant differences in the training process; cultural resistance in the socio-educational environment; differential effect of school stress in extreme conditions; and lately, socio-educational perception of science.

In addition, he still continues to lead development cooperation projects.

Remo Fernández Carro

Remo Fernández Carro


Profesor Contratado Doctor at the School of Education of the University of Castilla - La Mancha in Cuenca. He has taught at the Complutense University of Madrid and at the Carlos III University of Madrid. He is PhD in Political Science from the Autonomous University of Madrid and a Member Doctor of the Juan March Institute. His research field is the Sociology of Science in which he is interested in its social institutions and in the public understanding of science. He was awarded by the Politics and Policy (with Víctor Lapuente). Recently, he has published “What is a scientific article?” in the Social Studies of Science.

Pilar López García-Gallo

Pilar López García-Gallo


Doctor of Pedagogy from the Complutense University of Madrid. She studied Pedagogy at the same University and Science Teaching at the Autonomous University of Madrid. She has coordinated the Department of Public Programs of the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), from 1989 until today where she holds the position of Deputy Director of the Museum as Head of the Area of Communication and Scientific Culture. She has coordinated and designed scientific dissemination programs with a multitude of educational activities and workshops for school groups and the individual and family public. These programs have been organized as a way of transmitting the research projects that are developed in the Museum to society as a whole. She is a specialist in didactics of museums of natural sciences, heritage and in project management and organization of events for the dissemination and social communication of science. She has directed several projects dedicated to the dissemination of science. In addition, Dr. López, published research articles, participated in Master's degrees in education and communication, courses, congresses and seminars and in different educational and scientific communication and dissemination projects.

She is currently also a member of the research group of the Complutense University whose line of research is the study of science present in the environment of the citizen and its repercussions on society.

Miriam Méndez Coca

Miriam Méndez Coca


Degree in Mathematics and a PhD. Professor of Mathematics and its didactics at the Faculty of Education of the Complutense University of Madrid in the Master's Degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education. His research activity focuses on the study of the effect of technologies on the intrinsic motivation of students and the training of mathematics teachers. Member of the Neuroeducation, Science and Society group and of the Ibero-American Network of Researchers on Mathematics Teachers´ Specialized Knowledge.

Rafael Campillos Ladero

Rafael Campillos Ladero


Graduate in Physics and teacher in secondary education. He began researching on didactics of experimental sciences during his master’s degree in secondary education teacher training and at present, he is a PhD candidate and a predoctoral researcher on didactics of experimental sciences. He has a patent for the parametric study of thermosensation physiology and its relationship with temperature magnitude learning. He has communications and articles published about his predoctoral work. He has collaborated with the Science and Technology National Museum (MUNCYT) and with various initiatives of scientific communication and amateur astronomy.

Rosario E. Fernández Terán

Rosario E. Fernández Terán


Holds a five-years Degree in Pedagogy, a three-years Degree in Teacher Training and a PHD in Education. She has been School Techer in several public Primary Schools in Spain and the United Kingdom, and, since 2019, she is also assistant lecturer at UCM. Her research focusses on the History of Education, Science and Technology, School Sciences and Scientific Culture in society. She has published 12 articles in indexed journal, 19 chapters in collective books, has participated in 16 projects and educational innovation groups, has presented 17 conference papers, has collaborated in different newspapers and has curated several exhibitions.

Almudena de la Fuente

Almudena de la Fuente


Degree in Chemistry, a Master in Research and Innovation in Education and a PhD in Education. She is currently an associate professor at the UCM Faculty of Education and a Physics and Chemistry teacher at the Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles School (Madrid). She has presented numerous conferences and published various articles. Her lines of research are assessment in science teaching and scientific literacy. She is a member of the Governing Board of the Specialized Group for Didactics and History of Physics and Chemistry (Spanish Royal Societies of Physics and Chemistry).

Francisco A. González Redondo

Francisco A. González Redondo


Holds a five-years Degree in Mathematics, a PHD in Philosophy of Science and a second PHD in Mathematics. He is associate professor of History of Science at UCM. His research focusses on the History of Science and Education, Science Education, History of Education and Scientific Culture in society. He has written more than 200 articles and book chapters, and has authored/edited more than 30 books. He is a regular contributor to radio and press, has curated more than 70 exhibitions and given more than 350 invited lectures in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Emilio Zaldivar

Emilio Zaldivar


Doctor of Fine Arts and, as he defines himself, a Teaching Artist. He is currently a tenured professor in the Department of Didactics of Languages, the Arts and Physical Education of the Faculty of Education, UCM. He has endless exhibitions in which he has been showing his enormous artistic work. He is a member of InSea (The International Society for Education Through Art)

Ignacio López Domínguez

Ignacio López Domínguez


Ph.D. and Bachelor in Economics and Business (Finance) from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Full Professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Department of Accounting and Finance). Teaches Financial Management, Financial Markets and Instruments and Financial Risk Management. Regular contributor to various media and regular lecturer on financial topics. Research interests: Financial markets, derivatives products, financial risks management and entrepreneurship.

Author of numerous publications in his speciality.

Federico Agen

Federico Agen


PhD student in the Faculty of Education at Complutense University of Madrid. His research focuses on emotional learning in science education. He is a member of the research group Neuroeducation, Science and Society, and is part of the national R&D project ‘Identification of Scientific Contexts in Society –Tools for Teachers and Citizens’. He has more than 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Ecology at Secondary school. He was a partner-coordinator of the Erasmus+ and Comenius programs of the European Union. He was also President of Culture Education and Sport Commission for the City Hall of Livorno, Italy.

Sergio Marín Espinosa

Sergio Marín Espinosa


Degree in Human Nutrition and Food and Science Technology from UCM. Since 2008 works as Laboratory Technician in different Schools of Sciences of the UCM, mainly supporting teaching and research. Since 2017, he has been working in the Department of "Didactics of Experimental, Social and Mathematical Sciences" as well as in the research group "Neurodidactics, Science and Society".

At the same time, he works as a “Nutritional Educator” in private practice as well as in companies and communities.

Iñigo Rodríguez-Arteche

Iñigo Rodríguez-Arteche


Iñigo Rodríguez-Arteche, graduate in Physics and PhD in Science Education. He is currently an assistant professor at the University of Alcalá (UAH). He has published more than 10 research papers, several book chapters, and presented communications at many national and international conferences. He has carried out postdoctoral stays at Harvard University (USA) and at the University of Piura (Peru). He has also been a Secondary School teacher for more than 3 years. His lines of research are: inquiry as a methodological approach, professional knowledge of teachers and emotions in science teaching and learning.

Amparo Elisa Benéitez Villamor

Amparo Elisa Benéitez Villamor


PhD in Biology from the University of Salamanca. She is a High School teacher in the Community of Madrid, Head of the Department of Biology and Geology, where she coordinates activities such as the Reinforce Program or the Promotion of Physical Activity and Sports (ipafd).
Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education where she teaches research and curricular design in didactics of biology and geology in the Master of teacher training. Author of multiple scientific articles in impact journals, She has participated as a speaker in various national and international congresses, especially in the field of the use of ICT in the classroom as a means of bringing science and society closer together.

Ana Isabel Bárcena

Ana Isabel Bárcena


Graduated in Chemical Sciences, PhD in Education and Professor of Secondary Education in Physics and Chemistry. She is currently an associate professor at the Education Faculty. UCM. She has participated in 5 research projects, published more than 20 articles, several books, and presented communications at many conferences. Her lines of research are: Teaching-learning in science by inquiry, science present in society, and sustainability in education.

Sandra Laso

Sandra Laso


PhD in Transdisciplinary Research in Education. Professor of the University of Valladolid at the Faculty of Education and Social Work in the Department of Didactics of Experimental, Social and Mathematical Sciences.

Her research is framed in the field of science education, especially in the topics of teacher training, socioscientific issues in science education and actions to address environmental and social problems associated with the fields of science. She has participated in research projects, published articles, and presented communications at conferences.

Marta Ceballos Aranda

Marta Ceballos Aranda


Biologist from Complutense University of Madrid, with a MS in Palaeontology developed in Sierra de Atapuerca sites (Burgos) and an Andalusian interuniversity MS in Environmental Education. She is a professor at Centro Cardenal Spínola CEU, affiliated to the university of Seville, where she teaches subjects in the area of Experimental Sciences and Science Education in teacher training. She has participated in lots of conferences and in different research and didactic innovation projects in the area. Her research activity is currently centred on the study of the didactics of Palaeontology in non-formal education, particularly in museums.

Marta Reina Vázquez

Marta Reina Vázquez


PhD in Biology and professor of Science Education in teacher training at Centro Cardenal Spínola CEU, affiliated to the University of Seville. She also teaches Biology in Secondary Education at Santa Ana High School in Seville. Her research activity has derived from the Limnology of shallow aquatic ecosystems during his initial training, to Science Education, focusing on Environmental Education (School gardens) and the relationship between new technologies and teaching of science.

She has participated in 3 educational innovation projects and 3 projects of special relevance with administrations.

Beatriz Pérez Bueno

Beatriz Pérez Bueno


Bachelor's degree in Physics and a Master’s degree in the research on teaching and learning methods in Experimental Sciences and Mathematics. She is currently working on her doctoral thesis on ‘Initial training and professional development in specific didactics’ at the university of Huelva. Her research interests are focused on the teaching and learning of those Physics concepts and phenomena whose magnitudes bear a proportional relation, avoiding the use of memory to learn algebraic formulae. She is also a professor of Science education in teacher training at Centro Cardenal Spínola CEU, affiliated to the University of Seville.

José Eduardo Vílchez

José Eduardo Vílchez


PhD in Chemistry, professor of Science Education at Centro Cardenal Spínola CEU (affiliated to the University of Seville) in teacher training. His research activity has evolved from Organic Chemistry during his initial training, to Science Education, focusing on the study of the resources provided from non-formal education.

He has participated in 6 R+T+I and educational innovation projects and is Editor of the educational research journal EA, Escuela Abierta.

Sonia Pamplona Roche

Sonia Pamplona Roche


Sonia Pamplona is a Computer Engineer (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) with experience in product design and user experience. She holds a PhD in STEM Education (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and teaches Didactics of Experimental Sciences at the Faculty of Education of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She has participated in 6 R+D+i projects and 7 educational projects. She has published 9 articles, 8 book chapters and 1 book. He has also presented communications in 28 congresses. Her research interest is focused on neurodidactics of STEM disciplines.

Amalia Casas Mas

Amalia Casas Mas


Amalia Casas-Mas holds a PhD in Psychology and both, MMus in Piano Performance at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, and MEdPsy after completing her BMus and BPsy. Her academic interests have focused on the different cultures of learning in formal and informal contexts. She has participated in different R&D projects, funded by Spanish Ministry of Education and the Spanish Ministry of Innovation, Science and Universities from the Interdisciplinary Seminar on Learning and Educational Change (SEIACE). She has published international research papers and several chapters in the area of ​​Music Psychology. She is a founding member of the Spanish Society for the Psychology of Music and Musical Performance.

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