In May 2023, Dr. Gabriel Díaz Maggioli —academic coordinator of the Specialization Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language—and Dr. Mariela Questa-Torterolo —deputy academic coordinator of the Master’s in Educational Management and the Master’s in Teacher Training—were selected for promotion to Level I of the National System of Researchers (SNI) of the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII).
Dr. Gustavo Bentancor—a graduate-level instructor at the Institute of Education—and Dr. Daisy Imbert—a tutor at the same institution—were admitted to the SNI at the Entry level. Meanwhile, Dr. Andrea Tejera Techera—academic coordinator of the Master’s in Educational Management and the Master’s in Trainer Development—was designated to remain at that level.
In 2023, Dr. Denise Vaillant, dean of the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay, was also re-accredited by international evaluators to remain at Level III in the Social Sciences category, Education Sciences subcategory, of the SNI. In 2019, she was promoted to Level III, becoming the only representative from the field of education at that level.
Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez Zidán, Dr. Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso, and Dr. Claudia Cabrera Borges are the remaining faculty members at the Institute of Education who are part of the SNI at Levels II, I, and Initiation (respectively).
As explained on its website, the National System of Researchers promotes “the classification and financial incentives for researchers, the generation of knowledge across all fields, and the strengthening and expansion of the national scientific community.”
Meet the researchers
Denise Vaillant (Level III)
She holds a PhD in Education from the Université du Québec à Montréal (Canada). She also holds a Master’s degree in Planning and Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Geneva (Switzerland). She has held several senior positions within Uruguay’s National Public Education Administration. She is a visiting professor at numerous Latin American and European universities; an advisor to several international organizations; and the author of numerous articles and books on the teaching profession, educational reforms, and educational innovation. She is a member of the SNI Honorary Commission and currently serves as academic director ofthe Doctorate in Education and as editor-in-chief of the journal Cuadernos de Investigación Educativa , and as dean of the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Eduardo Rodríguez Zidán (Level II)
He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Research Methods and Innovation from the University of Málaga (Spain). He has a diploma in Educational Assessment and Planning from UNESCO-IBRO (Argentina) and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of the Republic (Uruguay). He currently works as a professor, researcher, and member of the Academic Committee for the Doctorate in Education at the Institute of Education of Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Lourdes Cardozo Gaibisso (Level I)
She holds a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of Georgia (United States). She has a Master’s degree in Education from Universidad ORT Uruguay is a secondary school teacher specializing in English, having graduated from the Artigas Teachers’ Institute (Uruguay). She currently works as a professor and researcher in TESOL and Educational Linguistics at Mississippi State University (United States). She is also a visiting professor and graduate advisor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Gabriel Díaz Maggioli (Level I)
He holds a Doctorate in Education and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Bath (United Kingdom). He also holds a postgraduate degree in Governance and Management of Teacher Education and Professional Development from The Pennsylvania State University (United States). He is an English teacher and a graduate of the Artigas Teachers’ Institute (Uruguay). He serves as a graduate-level instructor and as the academic coordinator of the Specialization Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and the Advanced Certificate in Teaching English atUniversidad ORT Uruguay. He served on the Board of Directors of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) association in the United States, and since 2020, he has been the first Latin American president of the International Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (IATEFL), headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Mariela Questa Torterolo (Level I)
She has a Ph.D. in Education from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain). has Master’s degree in Educational Management from Universidad ORT Uruguay in Universidad ORT Uruguay a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of the Republic (Uruguay). She currently teaches graduate courses and serves as associate academic coordinator for the Master’s in Educational Management and the Master’s in Trainer Education at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Gustavo Bentancor (Beginner Level)
He holds a Ph.D. in Education and a Master’s degree in Education from Universidad ORT Uruguay. He is a mathematics teacher and a graduate of the Artigas Teachers’ Institute (Uruguay). He holds a postgraduate degree in Teaching Mathematics through Problem Solving from the University of Montevideo (Uruguay). He currently serves as head of the Mathematics Department at Ceibal and as a graduate-level instructor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Claudia Cabrera Borges (Beginner Level)
She holds a Ph.D. in Education and a Master’s degree in Education from Universidad ORT Uruguay. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of the Republic (Uruguay) and is a certified biology teacher, having graduated from the Florida Teacher Training Institute. She is a faculty member and tutor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay, as well as a professor of biology and biology pedagogy at the Regional Teachers’ Center.
Daisy Imbert (Beginner Level)
She holds a Doctorate in Education from the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana (Mexico). She has a Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Assessment from the Universidad Católica del Uruguay, and is a graduate of the Instituto de Profesores Artigas (Uruguay) with a degree in Biological Sciences. She previously served as the national inspector of biology for the Secondary Education Council. She currently serves as an instructor in Biology Education at the Regional Teachers’ Center. She also serves as a tutor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.
Andrea Tejera Techera (Beginner Level)
She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the National University of Entre Ríos (Argentina). She also holds a Master’s degree in Regional and Local Development from the Catholic University of Uruguay and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of the Republic (Uruguay). She currently serves as director of the Strategic Planning and Budgeting Division at the Institute for Children and Adolescents of Uruguay (INAU). Finally, she is the academic coordinator of the Master’s in Educational Management and the Master’s in Training of Trainers, as well as a professor, researcher, and graduate advisor at the Institute of Education at Universidad ORT Uruguay.