My Biography

Born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, Daniel J. De Jesús discovered his love for science and education early in life. Growing up, he worked as a tutor in science and math, and later acquired his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. As an undergraduate, he acquired diverse research experience across the U.S. and Puerto Rico on various scientific topics, such as cancer biology, environmental sciences, and ecology and evolution, such as cancer biology, environmental sciences, and ecology and evolution. Additionally, he worked as a high school bilingual teacher in advanced mathematics at the Thomas Alva Edison School in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He also served as a research mentor for students at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center Program.

De Jesús acquired his Master of Science from the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Program at Texas A&M University. As a graduate student, in addition to science topics, he focused on science education by taking several pedagogy graduate courses and participating in professional development programs, where he was awarded the “Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Associate” and “CIRTL Practitioner” certificates. He also worked as a graduate teaching assistant teaching Biology and Zoology Laboratory courses.

Currently, De Jesús is a doctoral student in Science Education in the Teaching, Learning, and Culture Department at Texas A&M University. His work centers on enhancing scientific literacy in students through contextualized place-based interventions. His focus is on the dynamic intersection of socioscientific issues (such as climate change and vaccinations) and the Nature of Science (that is, how science works & how scientists carry out science) to empower students' engagement and understanding of science. I collaborate with international environmental educators to design and implement science curricula that delve into subjects like bird migration ecology across the Americas. His research efforts not only foster scientific understanding but also nurture a broader sense of environmental responsibility, social awareness, and cultural perspectives.