New Perspectives in Science Education

Hugo Torres-Contreras is a Biologist at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and has a Master´s in Ecology and a PhD in Science from the Universidad de Chile. In addition, he did a postdoc on chemical communication mechanisms in eusocial insects. His early research focused on the ecology, physiology, behaviour, and evolution of animals as diverse as lizards, birds, rodents, spiders, and ants. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Education of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Universidad de Chile and a member of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood and Public Policies (NIPIP) at the same university. His undergraduate teaching focuses on courses on Science Education and the link between Ecology and Literature. In the field of research, his areas of interest correspond to the evolution of scientific thinking skills in early childhood, education for sustainable development, and the use of tales and poems to foster empathy for nature and to promote ludic learning about environmental topics.