Denise (she/her) is a third-year doctoral student in Special Education, with a concentration in Learning Disabilities and Behavioral Disorders, at The University of Texas at Austin. Her primary research interests center on evidence-based early STEM interventions for students with or at risk for learning difficulties, with a particular focus on emergent bilingual learners. She is especially interested in mathematics word-problem solving and the intersection of language and mathematics learning for Spanish-speaking English learners.
Her commitment to this work is deeply rooted in both her professional and lived experiences. Since her earliest years as an educator in Brazil, where she taught English as a second language, supported neurodivergent learners in Math, Science and reading, and later served as a special education teacher and school leader, Denise has advocated for neurodivergent students and their access to inclusive and supportive learning environments. Her advocacy became even more meaningful through her experience as a mother of an autistic daughter and a son with ADHD, which deepened her understanding of families’ experiences navigating educational systems and supporting their children’s learning, development, and well-being.
These interconnected experiences as a parent, advocate, educator, and researcher have shaped Denise’s commitment to culturally and linguistically responsive and family-centered practices. Her research aims to improve mathematics learning opportunities and outcomes for emergent bilingual students while exploring approaches that meaningfully engage families and build on the linguistic, cultural, and experiential strengths they bring to their children’s education.
Denise is currently a Graduate Research Assistant for Precision Mathematics at the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at The University of Texas at Austin, where she contributes to research on evidence-based early mathematics interventions for Spanish-speaking emergent bilingual students with learning difficulties. She holds degrees in Education and Electrical Engineering, a master’s degree in Psychological Intervention in Development and Education, and advanced training in learning, literacy, and cognitive interventions.
Outside of academia, Denise enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, watching movies and sitcoms, learning about different cultures, and exploring the connections between education, science, and technology.