Melissa Ortega, Ph.D.
Dissertation Coordinator,
Department of Leadership and Administration
Dr. Melissa Ortega is joining the Department of Professional Educational Studies. Melissa has been an educator for over 12 years and has experience teaching elementary, middle School, and high school as well as college courses involving STEM education and women's studies. Melissa also works for a large public school district in El Paso as an Assistant Director for Staff Development. Melissa holds Texas teaching certifications in middle school science and principal certifications for grades K-12. She has several years of experience coordinating and directing programs in the university and school district settings where she has supervised the Master Teacher Academies program for STEM Education, Field Experience and Student Teaching, Advanced Academics, Middle School Science District Instruction, and Staff Development. She was admitted into the Superintendent Certification program through the University of Arlington Texas in January 2017. Melissa is the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership award in 2018, the InterGender Research School in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies Scholarship in 2011, and the Graduate Student Instructor Teaching Portfolio Award in 2010. Melissa has presented her research at several conferences including the University of Texas at El Paso's Annual Women’s History Month Conference, the Southwest Diversity Summit, New Mexico State University's Annual Mentoring Conference, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, and the American Institute of Higher Education International Conference. Her work has appeared in journals such as the American Institute for Higher Education, Society for Informational Technology and Teacher Education, and i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology. Melissa is also a member of the Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
Education
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Doctorate in Teaching, Learning & Culture/ Math, Science, Tech
University of Texas -
Master's in Science Education
University of Texas -
Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies
University of Texas
Research Interests
Adult Education, STEM Education, Identity, Mentors, Social Justice, Gender Equity