Héctor Fox Figueroa

Héctor Fox Figueroa serves as an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Biology, Health, and the Environment at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), within the College of Sciences. His appointment emphasizes pedagogical innovation in interdisciplinary biosciences, bridging ecological science with critical social frameworks to address contemporary environmental challenges.

His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Eastern Michigan University. This dual background enables integrative approaches spanning molecular biochemistry to ecosystem-level analysis.

Dr. Figueroa's research explores the convergence of:

• Traditional ecological knowledge systems and Western conservation biology
• Intersectional analysis of power dynamics in biodiversity governance
• Data-driven phylogenetic methods for evolutionary ecology
• Indigenous epistemologies in environmental science education
• Socio-ecological resilience in marginalized communities
• Decolonizing methodologies for bioscience curricula

His teaching portfolio includes Biosciences II, Conservation Biology, and Data Science and Phylogenetic Methods, where he incorporates Indigenous Studies and intersectionality frameworks to challenge conventional scientific paradigms. This approach aligns with UTSA's commitment to a 'Culture of Belonging' in scientific practice.

As an active faculty member, he contributes to the College of Sciences' mission of advancing scientific literacy through locally grounded, globally relevant research that honors integrity and intellectual freedom as core institutional values.