Belen Maria Castro Fernandez

Dr. Belen Maria Castro Fernandez is an Associate Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Faculty of Education Sciences and the Department of Applied Didactics. She is a member of research groups RODA (Razoamento, Discurso e Argumentación), SIFC (Síncrisis, Investigación en Formas Culturais), and ANTE (Análise territorial). Her work focuses on cultural heritage education, historical memory, and the intersection of education with controversial heritage issues.

Dr. Castro Fernandez holds two doctorates: one from 2007 on the architectural work of Francisco Pons-Sorolla, and another from 2023 titled Recuperación de memoria en contexto de conflicto a través de la educación patrimonial. She has supervised doctoral theses and actively engages in public-facing educational initiatives through institutions like the Instituto de Ciencias da Educación (ICE).

Her research emphasizes participatory approaches to heritage education, particularly in addressing forced displacement (e.g., Portomarín), pilgrimage routes (Camino de Santiago), and environmental controversies. She has published extensively on topics like museum pedagogy, historical thinking, and the role of heritage in fostering regional identity. Recent projects include analyzing the socioenvironmental concerns of future teachers and the educational potential of urban landscapes.

Dr. Castro collaborates with museums and educational institutions across Galicia, designing curricula that integrate historical memory and cultural heritage into primary and secondary education. Her work bridges academic research with community-based initiatives, aiming to promote critical citizenship through heritage engagement.