MARIA ENCINA CALVO IGLESIAS

Maria Encina Calvo Iglesias is a Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Department of Applied Physics within the Higher Technical School of Engineering. She holds a PhD in Thermodynamics (1998) from the same institution, focusing on thermodynamic properties of cyclic diether systems. Her research spans two primary domains: foundational studies in thermophysical properties of liquids and transformative initiatives to address gender inequality in STEM education. She leads the PTSL research group, which investigates liquid surface properties, while also spearheading projects to integrate gender perspectives into university curricula.

Her educational background includes a PhD under the guidance of Dr. Ramon Bravo Quintas and Dr. Maria Mercedes Pintos Barral. Current research interests blend applied physics with pedagogical innovation, emphasizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role of gender equity in science education. Notable projects include curricular reforms to highlight SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 7 (Clean Energy), as well as initiatives to promote women’s visibility in scientific history through Wikipedia editing and outreach campaigns.

Maria’s recent publications (2023-2025) focus on dismantling gender barriers in academic STEM fields, analyzing Spain’s university policies, and developing gender-inclusive teaching strategies. She has pioneered online workshops to attract female students to aerospace engineering and created resources like 'Women Who Took Us to Space' to inspire younger generations. Her work also critiques the impact of academic capitalism on women’s participation in higher education.

Collaborative efforts include designing rubrics for assessing oral communication in engineering programs and leveraging Moodle platforms for laboratory practice support. She actively participates in networks like the 'Universidad, género, docencia e igualdad' initiative and has contributed to national dialogues on gender representation in academic research and innovation.