Ruiz Gutiérrez completed her academic training at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where she earned a Licentiate in Biology (1969–1972), followed by a Master's in Biological Sciences (1977–1979), and a Doctorate in Biological Sciences (1980–1984).[2] Ruiz Gutiérrez studied at the National Preparatory School No. 4 during the 1968 student movement, where she was a sympathizer and activist. Later, she married Salvador Martínez della Rocca, El Pino, one of the leaders of the movement.[3]
Ruiz Gutiérrez served as director of the Faculty of Sciences from 2010 to 2017. Her research has primarily focused on the epistemological and historical dimensions of evolutionary theory, bridging biology, philosophy of science, and scientific history.[5] Ruiz Gutiérrez has been a full-time professor at her alma mater and a graduate tutor in biological sciences, philosophy of science, psychology, and pedagogy. She has been a visiting professor at both the University of California, Irvine and the University of the Basque Country. She advocated for making history and philosophy of biology a compulsory subject in the biology undergraduate program at UNAM and established a research area in this field within the faculty. She has published articles on these subjects in national and international academic journals. Ruiz Gutiérrez received her bachelor's degree (1979),[6] her master's degree (1983),[7] and her doctorate (2001).[8]
Her main area of research focuses on evolutionary theories, which she has approached from scientific, historical, and philosophical perspectives. She has published articles on these topics in both national and international research and dissemination journals. Ruiz Gutiérrez has collaborated with prominent researchers such as Thomas F. Glick and Francisco J. Ayala.
Public service
Ruiz Gutiérrez served as the secretary of institutional development and from March 2000 to December 2003, she was the director of graduate studies at the UNAM.[4]
She was appointed by the board of governors of the UNAM as director of the Faculty of Sciences (FC) for the 2010-2014 term and was re-elected for the 2014-2018 term. She ran for rector of the university in 2015,[10] and just before the end of her term as director, she was appointed coordinator of Special Academic Projects under the General Secretariat of the UNAM during the rectorship of Enrique Graue Wiechers.[11] In March 2018, she was named a member of the Board of Governors, the highest administrative body of the UNAM, responsible for selecting faculty directors and the rector of the university.
On June 20, 2024, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Ruiz Gutiérrez would be part of her cabinet, leading the newly elevated Ministry of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation. The current CONACYT will be upgraded to this new level according to the law. The new role will focus on advancing scientific, technological, and educational initiatives in Mexico.[13][14][15] Prior to her appointment at CONACYT, Ruiz Gutiérrez held the position of Secretary of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation of Mexico City from December 5, 2018, to February 14, 2023. Her appointment as the Director General of CONACYT under President Sheinbaum marks a significant milestone in her career of scientific leadership and public service.[1]
Published works
Ruiz Gutiérrez's contributions to scientific literature have focused on evolutionary theory, epistemology, and the history of science.
Monographs and edited volumes
Positivismo y evolución: introducción del darwinismo en México (1987, reedited 1992)
A work exploring the introduction of Darwinian theory in Mexico, examining the philosophical and scientific contexts of evolutionary thought.
El método en las ciencias: epistemología y darwinismo (Coauthored with Francisco José Ayala, 1998, reedited 2000, updated edition 2015)
A text investigating scientific methodology through the lens of epistemology and Darwinian theory.
Collaborative works on evolutionary studies
De Darwin al DNA y el origen de la humanidad: La evolución y sus polémicas (Coauthored with Francisco José Ayala, 2002, reedited 2007)
An exploration of evolutionary theory from Darwin to modern genetic understanding.
El darwinismo en España e Iberoamérica (Coedited with Thomas F. Glick and M. A. Puig, 2000)
English version: The Reception of Darwinism in the Iberian World (2001)
A study of Darwinian theory's impact in Spanish and Ibero-American intellectual circles.
Interdisciplinary research collections
Problemas de acceso al conocimiento y enseñanza de la ciencia (Coedited with M. A. Campos, 1996)
A work addressing challenges in scientific knowledge and science education.
Evolucionismo y cultura: darwinismo en Europa e Iberoamérica (Coauthored with M. A. Puig and A. Galera, 2003)
An examination of evolutionary thought's cultural implications in Europe and Ibero-America.
Academic contributions
Los estudios de posgrado en México: diagnóstico y perspectivas (Coauthored with A. Argueta et al., 2006)
An analysis of postgraduate studies in Mexico, providing insights into academic research landscapes.
Charles Darwin y Alfred Russel Wallace, selección natural: tres fragmentos para la historia (Coauthored with J. M. Rodríguez Caso, 2009)
A study on Darwin, Wallace, and the historical development of natural selection theory.
Additional scholarly works
La evolución antes y después de Darwin (Coauthored with María del Carmen Sánchez Mora, 2006)
An exploration of evolutionary theory before and after Darwin's groundbreaking work.
