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SOI-STEM

SOI-STEM Grupo de Investigación en Educación STEM Interdisciplinario Orientado Socialmente
SOI-STEM

About us

Socially Oriented Interdisciplinary STEM Education Research Group (SOI-STEM)

Objective

The mission of SOI-STEM is to transform, prepare, develop, impact and contribute to STEM higher education through socially oriented interdisciplinary student-centered learning, personalized learning, and learning assessment, focused on UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals to establish best practices towards the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the society of the future. SOI-STEM fosters the achievement of high-quality education that generates human resources with comprehensive training that generates a sustainable vision integrating approaches from social sciences, humanities, and arts.

Alumnos en sesión de clases

The linkfigure shows the concept of planetary education that integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with the areas of social sciences, humanities, and arts fostering the advancement of society solving the world challenges while taking care of the place we live.

The impact is the transformation of the interaction of students, faculty, university administrators, and stakeholders. Prepare students in their undergraduate program and their future professional practice. Develop faculty to reflect on their teaching practices and their academic work. Impact community in terms of their conception of STEM and science capital.

The objective of SOI-STEM is to foster a socially oriented interdisciplinary vision in STEM education to meet the challenges of the 21st century through interdisciplinary education that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion by:

  • Transforming the interaction of students, faculty, university administrators, and stakeholders;
  • Preparing students in their undergraduate program to face increasingly difficult challenges in a dynamic society and their future professional practice;
  • Developing faculty to reflect upon their teaching practices and academic work;
  • Impacting the community in terms of their conception of STEM and capital science, and
  • Contributing to the progress of science through scientific products

Our vision is to become the leading research group in the world on interdisciplinary STEM education that focuses on UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals as reference to create solutions to the problems and challenges of society in the 21st century.

Educación STEM para enfrentar los desafíos del siglo XXI

Method

The IRG group fosters a socially oriented interdisciplinary vision in STEM education to meet the challenges of the 21st century through interdisciplinary education that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion.

From the four specific objectives and questions, the IRG group can define the four main objectives in which we seek to contribute: (1) transform the interaction of students, faculty, university administrators, and stakeholders; (2) prepare students in their undergraduate program to face increasingly difficult challenges in a dynamic society and their future professional practice; (3) develop faculty to reflect upon their teaching practices and academic work; and (4) impact the community in terms of their conception of STEM and capital science. The linkfigure shows the proposed framework and mixed research methods focused on developing these four constructs. Data collection by quantitative and qualitative methods will be carried out in parallel.

Research group members

Genaro Zavala Enríquez
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Genaro Zavala Enríquez
Leader

Genaro Zavala is the leader of the Socially Oriented Interdisciplinary STEM Education Research Group of the Institute for the Future of Education at Tecnologico de Monterrey. He is National Researcher Level 2 in Mexico. His research lines are interdisciplinary STEM education, social oriented education, conceptual understanding, active learning, assessment tools, and faculty development. Dr. Zavala was appointed to the editorial board of the PRPER (2015-18). In the AAPT, he was a vice-presidential candidate, member of the Committee on Research in Physics Education, member and chair of the International Education Committee, and elected member of Leadership Organizing Physics Education Research Council.

Researchgate IconGenaro Zavala

Roberto Ponce López
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Roberto Ponce López
Full

I am a professor-researcher of Urban Studies at Tecnologico de Monterrey. My research focuses on combining spatial analysis tools with machine learning and large-scale datasets to model urban change. I also do research in interdisciplinary education in STEM and socially oriented education. 

Roberto holds a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Roberto also holds a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.A in Political Science from ITAM.

Researchgate IconRoberto Ponce López

Jorge Membrillo Hernández
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Jorge Membrillo Hernández
Full

Jorge Membrillo-Hernández is a Doctor in Biotechnology from King's College London, University of London, U.K., he spent Postdoctoral positions at the University of Sheffield U.K. and at Harvard University, U.S.A. He is a full-time professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences in the Mexico City Campus of Tecnologico de Monterrey and is the current President of the Mexico Section of the International Society for Engineering Pedagogy. He has published 61 articles in indexed journals of disciplinary research and educational innovation, has more than 1500 citations to his works and an h index= 21. His research has focused on the implementation of Challenge Based Learning for the Tec21 model. He has led two NOVUS research projects related to this educational technique.

Researchgate IconJorge Membrillo Hernández

Andres Eduardo Gutierrez Rodríguez
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Andres Eduardo Gutierrez Rodríguez
Full

Andres Eduardo Gutierrez-Rodriguez received a Ph.D. in computer science from the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics, Mexico, in 2015. Dr. Gutierrez-Rodriguez is a Researcher Professor of the Institute for the Future of Education at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Toluca. Since 2018, he has been a member of the Mexican Research System, currently ranked one. He has been involved in three CONACyT research projects with topics on machine learning, hyper-heuristics, and fingerprint identification. He has published 10 articles indexed on the Journal Citation Reports and CONACyT, and 10 articles in relevant international conferences. His scientific productivity is focused on subjects related to data mining, machine learning, computer vision, clustering, and optimization. Gutierrez-Rodriguez has different awards such as “RedICA Text-Image Matching (RICATIM) Challenge 2nd Place Award, Mexico 2017”, and “National Mention of the Cuban Academy of Sciences for Young Researchers in Computer Sciences, Cuba 2017”.

Researchgate IconAndres Eduardo Gutierrez Rodríguez

Patricia Olga Caratozzolo Martelliti
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Patricia Olga Caratozzolo Martelliti
Associate

Patricia Olga Caratozzolo Martelliti has a doctorate in Electronic Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya, Spain. Patricia is a full-time assistant professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences on the Santa Fe campus of Tecnológico de Monterrey and vice president of the International Association for Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE) for the period 2021-2024. She has led four NOVUS research projects related to language development and digital skills, cognitive flexibility, natural language processing (NLP), critical thinking and creativity in engineering. Currently, her research is related to Educational Innovation and interdisciplinary education and with a social sense in STEM.

Researchgate IconPatricia Olga Caratozzolo Martelliti

Claudia Lizette Garay Rondero
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Claudia Lizette Garay Rondero
Associate

Claudia is an Industrial and Systems Engineer with a Master in Quality and Productivity Systems Engineering, Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma methodology by Tecnologico de Monterrey. She is a Ph.D. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, her research involves exploring models and enablers for logistics and digital supply chains in Industry 4.0.

He has had professional experience at DHL Supply Chain and Tenaris Tamsa. She has conducted projects with Benteler Automotive, SMP Automotive, Volkswagen de Mexico, and the GenesYs Project initiative of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics. She is an Associate Professor at the Institute for the Future of Education, having more than 11 years of experience as a professor at the School of Engineering and Science. She has been awarded by the Tec de Monterrey NOVUS initiative 2018, 2019, and the Silver Presence Learning Award granted by QS Reimagine Education 2019 for her scientific production and educational innovation projects focused on sustainability. 

She currently serves as Support Vicechair & Study Branch Advisor of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), Mexico City section. She participates as a mentor in the Women Leaders in STEM U.S.-Mexico Leaders Network.

Researchgate IconClaudia Lizette Garay Rondero

María de los Ángeles Domínguez Cuenca
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María de los Ángeles Domínguez Cuenca
Adjoint

Angeles Domínguez is Associate Dean of Faculty Development of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and professor and researcher of the School of Humanities and Education at Tecnologico de Monterrey. She obtained a degree in Industrial Physical Engineering from the Tecnologico de Monterrey and a doctorate in Mathematics Education from the University of Syracuse, New York. For his research, she is a member of the National System of Researchers, SNI-2 (2020-2023). Her main areas of research are a) interdisciplinary education, b) gender studies in STEM, and c) faculty development. He is interested in supporting the growth of teachers (in teaching, research, professional and personal). In addition to fostering a broader vision of science through applications and integration with other disciplines. This vision of science also seeks equity and inclusion.

Pablo Jesús Barniol Durán
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Pablo Jesús Barniol Durán
Adjoint

Pablo Barniol obtained the degrees of Physics Engineer and Doctor in Educational Innovation from the Tecnologico de Monterrey. He is in a position as Professor-Researcher at the School of Humanities and Education of the Tecnologico de Monterrey. He has been appointed as National Researcher Level 2 by “Sistema Nacional de Investigadores de México” (National System of Researchers of Mexico). He is a researcher in the area of Science Education. His main line of research is about the conceptual understanding of university students in science. He has published 24 articles in international journals indexed in the Scopus database.

Researchgate IconPablo Jesús Barniol Durán

Santiago Enrique Conant Pablos
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Santiago Enrique Conant Pablos
Adjoint

Santiago Enrique Conant Pablos is a Research Professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. He is an Industrial Engineer with a Master's in Computer Science and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. Since 1982 he has served as a computer operator, programmer, systems analyst, academic, and researcher. Since 1988 he has taught courses at the professional and graduate level. He is a Level I national researcher of the National System of Researchers, member of the GIEE in Intelligent Systems and associate researcher of the SOI-STEM of the Institute for the Future of Education. His lines of research include heuristic techniques for logistics and optimization, evolutionary computing, machine learning, computer vision, interdisciplinary STEM education, and social sense education.

Researchgate IconSantiago Enrique Conant Pablos

Alejandro Acuña López
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Alejandro Acuña López
Adjoint

Alejandro Acuña López. Doctor of Design, Master and Bachelor of Industrial Design. Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Art and Design of the Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Querétaro. Administrator of DICI - Design, Innovation and Industrial Creation Workshops. Member of the IRG “Socially oriented STEM interdisciplinary education for the 21st century” and of the GIEE “Sustainable Territorial Development” of the EAAD. Research lines: Educational innovation in design, Interdisciplinary STEM Education and Social oriented education. Founding member of the CEDDIE in Querétaro campus and currently Mentor of the Writing Lab. 12 years of professional experience in design studios and companies.

Researchgate IconAlejandro Acuña López

Juan Carlos Rojas
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Juan Carlos Rojas
Adjoint

Juan Carlos is a Doctor in Design, Management and Manufacturing of Industrial Projects by  Polytechnic University of Valencia. Master in innovation and product development and graduate in industrial design from the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey. He is currently a professor-researcher at the School of Architecture, Art and Design (EAAD) of Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey. His main line of research is on the emotional and affective evaluation of products, services and experiences through implicit measurement techniques and neurotechnologies. In addition, He is working on educational innovation focused on design education. He has numerous publications in scientific journals and indexed conferences

Researchgate IconJuan Carlos Rojas

Vianney Lara Prieto
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Vianney Lara Prieto
Adjoint

Vianney Lara Prieto graduated as Mechatronics Engineer from Tecnologico de Monterrey and holds a PhD in Smart Materials from Loughborough University in the UK. She is the Academic Projects Director of the School of Engineering and Science, Monterrey Region. She is an IEEE, WIE and IEEE-HKN member. She leads the linkage national committee of MIC (Women in Engineering and Science) and participates in the mentoring and dissemination committees. She belongs to the Matilda Latin American Chair mentoring and research groups. Her research lines are interdisciplinary STEM education, Challenge-Based Learning, social oriented education, innovative education, and women in STEM.

Researchgate IconVianney Lara Prieto

Esmeralda Campos Muñoz
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Esmeralda Campos Muñoz
Adjoint

Esmeralda Campos Muñoz studied her PhD in Educational Innovation at Tecnologico de Monterrey, with a specialization in Physics Education Research. She is a postdoctoral researcher at Writing Lab, of the Institute for the Future of Education of Tecnologico de Monterrey. The focus of her research is on the conceptual understanding of university students on abstract physics topics and on projects of inclusion of women in STEM areas. She has published 6 articles in high-impact academic journals, 7 articles in educational research conference proceedings and a book chapter.

Researchgate IconEsmeralda Campos Muñoz

Blanca Rosa Ruiz Hernández
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Blanca Rosa Ruiz Hernández
Adjoint

PhD in Didactics of Mathematics from the University of Granada, Spain. Professor in the Department of Mathematics and researcher at the School of Education and Humanities of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. She is also a collaborating professor in the Programa en Matemática Educativa del Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada (CICATA, IPN) and Coordinator of the Rethinking Mathematics Seminar (SRM). Member of the Latin American Network in Statistical Education RELIEE and of the Research and Innovation Network in Statistical Education and Educational Mathematics (riieeme). His main lines of research revolve around the learning and teaching of probability and statistics at the university level, as well as the link between educational research and teaching in mathematics and studies in STEM.

Researchgate IconBlanca Rosa Ruiz Hernández

Santa Esmeralda Tejeda Torres
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Santa Esmeralda Tejeda Torres
Adjoint

Santa Tejeda obtained the degree of Doctor in Educational Innovation from the Tecnológico de Monterrey, the degree of Master in Educational Physics with a mention at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology of the National Polytechnic Institute (CICATA of the IPN) and the degree of Engineering Industrial Physics at the Tecnológico de Monterrey. She is currently Vice President of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Mexico Chapter and a founding member of the Physics Teaching Division of the Mexican Physical Society. Her lines of research are: difficulties in the interpretation of kinematics graphs, construction of meanings from the socialization of knowledge, STEM, gender studies and educational technology. She is part of the faculty of the Master's in Education and the Master's in Educational Technology. She currently teaches first-year Physics and engineering courses through active learning and flipped classroom, under the Tec21 Model.

Researchgate IconSanta Esmeralda Tejeda Torres

Jesús Alfonso Beltrán Sánchez
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Jesús Alfonso Beltrán Sánchez
Adjoint

He has a master's Degree in Educational Research and a bachelor's Degree in Educational Sciences from the Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, Mexico, and is currently studying for a Ph.D. in Psychology at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico.  He is currently working as Faculty Analysis Leader at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico. His lines of research are Faculty Development, Interdisciplinary STEM Education and Social Oriented Education.  He is a member of the Mexican Council of Educational Research and a Fellow of a UNESCO Chair "Open Educational Movement for Latin America".

Researchgate IconJesús Alfonso Beltrán Sánchez

News

Convocatoria abierta para posiciones posdoctorales en el Tecnológico de Monterrey

Open call for postdoctoral fellowships at Tecnologico de Monterrey 

The Social Oriented Interdisciplinary STEM Education Research Group (SOI-STEM) is currently seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop and conduct research activities to transform higher education.

Interested applicants should apply at:

link Monterrey
link Ciudad de México

Projects

Proyecto Comunidad STEAM-OER-LATAM

Financing Entity: Siemens Stiftung
Authorized Amount: $45,574 euros
Period: 2021-2022
Researchers: Technical support: José Escamilla de los Santos Researchers: María Soledad Ramírez-Montoya, Genaro Zavala y José Vladimir Burgos Aguilar.

mexicovid19.app

Financing Entity: FEMSA Foundation
Authorized Amount: $450,000 MXN
Period: 2021-2022
Researchers: Roberto Ponce, Grissel Olivera, Fernando Gómez

Building the future of Latin America: engaging women into STEM. Erasmus+ (Higher Education – International Capacity Building)

Financing Entity: Erasmus+ (Higher Education – International Capacity Building)
Authorized Amount: $ 862,268 Euros
Period: 2020-2022
Researchers: Francisco García-Peñalvo, Ángeles Domínguez

Implementation of extended realities as an engagement strategy to link disciplinary contents and competencies with the work environment.

Financing Entity: Novus La Triada
Authorized Amount: $ 10,000 USD
Period: 2020-2022
Researchers: Ileana Ruiz, Vianney Lara, Fabiola Lima Sagui, Mónica Turcios, Ricardo Ipiña, Aarón Ramírez, Claudio Mourgues (PUC), Luis Pinzón (UniAndes)

Laboratory of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools for the evaluation of digital competencies.

Financing Entity: Novus
Authorized Amount: $ 95,000.00 MXN
Period: 2021-2022
Researchers: Patricia Caratozzolo, Álvaro Alvarez-Delgado, Jorge Rodríguez Ruiz, Gabriela Sirkis

Implementation of extended realty technology as an engagement strategy to link disciplinary contents and competencies with the work environment.

Financing Entity: Novus La Triada
Authorized Amount: $ 10,000 USD
Period: 2020-2022
Researchers: Ma. Ileana Ruiz Cantisani, Vianney Lara, Fabiola Lima Sagui, Mónica Turcios, Ricardo Ipiña, Aarón Ramírez, Claudio Mourgues, Luis Pinzón

Flexible Digital Interaction Platform as a learning tool for a competency-based educational model

Financing Entity: Novus
Authorized Amount: $118,600 MXN
Period: 2020-2022
Researchers: Mauricio Mojica, Vianney Lara, Obedt Figueroa, Rogelio Rivas, Eduardo Arrambide

Urban Information System of Monterrey

Financing Entity: FEMSA Foundation
Authorized Amount: $ 1,800,000 MXN
Period: 2019-2021
Researchers: Roberto Ponce López, Diego Fabián Lozano

Integration of Data Science and Optimization for Solving Combinatorial Problems

Financing Entity: Tecnológico de Monterrey, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Supercomputing Centre of  Barcelona
Authorized Amount: $1,500,000 MXP
Period: 2019-2021
Researchers: Hugo Terashima, Raúl Monroz, Santiago Conant, Yong Shi, Prof. Tian Yingjie, Vassil Alexandro

Academic Environment and Wellness

Financing Entity: Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey
Authorized Amount: $129,000 MXN
Period: 2021
Researchers: María de los Ángeles Domínguez Cuenca, Jesús Alfonso Beltrán Sánchez
Genaro Zavala Enríquez, Pablo Jesús Barniol Durán, Esmeralda Campos Muñoz

Storytelling and podcast creation lab for the development of transversal competencies in engineering.

Financing Entity: Novus
Authorized Amount: $ 195,000.00 MXN
Period: 2019-2021
Researchers: Patricia Caratozzolo, Álvaro Alvarez-Delgado, Ziranda González-Pineda, Gabriela Sirkis, Clara Piloto

Virtual learning environment for immersive teaching of the operation of high-risk equipment in Design and Architecture workshops

Financing Entity: NOVUS Fund for educational innovation
Authorized Amount: $315,402.40 MXN
Period: 2019-2021
Researchers: Ma. Elena Melón Jareda, Alejandro Acuña López and Camerino Ávila Guzmán

Context-Aware Video Detection and Interpretation of Suspicious Behavior Using Distributed Robust Deep Learning

Financing Entity: University of Texas and Tecnologico de Monterrey
Authorized Amount: $80,000 USD
Period: 2019-2021​​​​​​​
Researchers: Hugo Terashima (Líder), Santiago Conant, José Carlos Ortiz, Paul Rad

Use of the Assessment Center methodology in the evaluation of preclinical and clinical competencies developed by dental students.

Financing Entity: Novus​​​​​​​
Authorized Amount: $103,485 MXP​​​​​​​
Period: 2019-2021​​​​​​​
Researchers: José Carlos Presa Ramírez, Jesús Alfonso Beltrán Sánchez, María de los Ángeles Domínguez Cuenca, Jesús Alexei Mendoza Moreno, Araceli Hambleton Fuentes, Karen Lucía Reyes González

Calls

  • Springer – Call for chapters “Women in STEM in Higher Education: Good practices of attraction, access and retainment in Higher Education”. Editors: Francisco García-Peñalvo, Alicia García-Holgado, Angeles Domínguez, Jimena Pascual. Publication date: March 2022.
  • Octaedro – Call for chapters the book “Mujeres en la educación universitaria de ciencia, ingeniería, tecnología y matemáticas: Atracción, acceso y acompañamiento para reducir la brecha de género en Hispanoamérica”. Editors: Angeles Domínguez, Francisco García Peñalvo, Genaro Zavala, Alicia García Holgado, Hugo Alarcón. Publication date: April 2022.

Publications

2021