Maria Amelia Calonge Garcia: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Amelia Calonge – May 2016.JPG|thumb]]

[[File:Amelia Calonge – May 2016.JPG|thumb]]

”’María”’ ”’Amelia Calonge García”’ (born 1960 in Soria, Spain) is a Spanish [[geologist]], [[paleontologist]], and prominent geoscience educator, specialist in [[foraminifera]] and the [[teaching]] and dissemination of [[geology]]. She is a professor at the ”'[[University of Alcalá|University of Alcalá (UAH)]]”’ and is widely recognized for her leadership in promoting Geoscience Education, particularly through her role in creating and leading the Spanish Geology Olympiad and her commitment to public outreach. She is the 2025 recipient of the ”'[https://iugscoge.org/the-ck-medal/ Chris King Medal for Excellence in Geoscience Education]”’, awarded by the [[Geoscience Education, Training and Technology Transfer|IUGS Commission on Geoscience Education (COGE)]]

”’María”’ ”’Amelia Calonge García”’ (born 1960 in Soria, Spain) is a Spanish [[geologist]], [[paleontologist]], and prominent geoscience educator, specialist in [[foraminifera]] and the [[teaching]] and dissemination of [[geology]]. She is a professor at the ”'[[University of Alcalá|University of Alcalá (UAH)]]”’ and is widely recognized for her leadership in promoting Geoscience Education, particularly through her role in creating and leading the Spanish Geology Olympiad and her commitment to public outreach. She is the 2025 recipient of the ”'[https://iugscoge.org/the-ck-medal/ Chris King Medal for Excellence in Geoscience Education]”’, awarded by the [[Geoscience Education, Training and Technology Transfer|IUGS Commission on Geoscience Education (COGE)]]

== Education and Academic Career ==

== Education and Academic Career ==

María Amelia Calonge García (born 1960 in Soria, Spain) is a Spanish geologist, paleontologist, and prominent geoscience educator, specialist in foraminifera and the teaching and dissemination of geology. She is a professor at the University of Alcalá (UAH) and since 2025, serves as the Director of the UNESCO Chair in Scientific Education for Latin America and the Caribbean. She is widely recognized for her leadership in promoting Geoscience Education, particularly through her role in creating and leading the Spanish Geology Olympiad and her commitment to public outreach. She is the 2025 recipient of the Chris King Medal for Excellence in Geoscience Education, awarded by the IUGS Commission on Geoscience Education (COGE).

Education and Academic Career

Amelia Calonge earned her degree in Geological Sciences (1984) and her PhD in Paleontology (1989) from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).[1] Her doctoral thesis, Bioestratigraphy of the Cenomanian of the Iberian Range Using Benthic Foraminifera, was supervised by Manuel Segura Redondo and Álvaro García Quintana.[2]

She has been affiliated with the University of Alcalá since 1985, holding various academic positions. Since 1998, she has served as a professor, teaching within the Teacher Training Degree program, the Master’s Degree in Teacher Training in Secondary Education and the Interuniversity Master’s in Advanced Paleontology.[3]

Her early research career involved work in biostratigraphy and micropalaeontology, resulting in more than 50 publications in this field. Since 2002, her focus shifted to the Dissemination and Didactics of Geology, where she coordinates the EXCELENCIA Teaching Innovation Group and has produced more than 70 publications in the field of Geosciences teaching. Her overall scholarly output includes over 100 scientific publications, 10 books, and 25 book chapters[4].

Leadership and Institutional Service

Dr. Calonge has demonstrated significant institutional and policy leadership:

  • Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alcalá for six years (2013-2019).[5]
  • President of the Spanish Association for the Teaching of Earth Sciences (AEPECT) from 2006 to 2014, and a board member from 2004 to the present.
  • Director of the UNESCO Chair in Science Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (appointed June 2025).
  • Long-standing member of the Scientific Committee of the Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark since 2013.
  • She has served as a coordinator of a multidisciplinary research group focused on Geoscience Education and Geological Heritage.

Her current work focuses on the didactics of experimental sciences specifically leading initiatives that bridge geological research with classroom practice.[1] She currently coordinates the EXCELENCIA Teaching Innovation Group at the University of Alcalá, which is part of the ICC Research Group (“Investiga, Crea, Construye”), focused on connecting educational stages and facilitating engagement with science.[6] She has also collaborated with various scientific and educational organizations, including members of AEPECT (Asociación Española para la Enseñanza de las Ciencias de la Tierra), to develop resources that connect geological research with classroom practice and public outreach[7]. Since she is one of their founders of the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO), where serves as a council member,[8] she has also supported the development of similar Olympiads across Latin America and The Caribbean region. Furthermore, in 2025, Calonge was officially named the Director of the UNESCO Chair in Scientific Education for Latin America and the Caribbean, a role that reinforces her commitment to global science education.[9]

Contributions to Geoscience Education

Calonge is a driving force in Spanish geoscience education, pioneering innovative teaching methodologies such as experiential, place-based, and inquiry-driven learning. Her key initiatives include:

  • Spanish Geology Olympiad: She conceived, led, and organized this annual activity at the provincial, national, and international levels since its inception in 2010. The Olympiad inspires thousands of secondary school students and educators, has a significant social impact, and has been shown to positively influence enrollment in geology degrees. Since 2018, due to the increasing success of these Olympiads, the Spanish Ministry of Education has officially recognized them on the same level as national competitions in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, geology, economics, and computer science.[10][11] Winners represent Spain at the IESO.
  • Geodays and Geotourism: She has been responsible for Geolodía de Guadalajara since 2009, a prominent annual public outreach event that features guided field trips to promote the local geological heritage and the Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark[12].
  • Curriculum Advocacy: She spearheaded two national campaigns advocating for the inclusion of geology in compulsory education, leading to a working group of Spanish scientific societies that provided a foundational guide for Earth science curricula.
  • Educational Resources: She co-authored the foundational “Earth Science Literacy” framework in Spain (Pedrinaci et al., 2013), which defined core geological competencies for educational policymakers.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Calonge has received several notable distinctions for her work:

  • First prize in the final of the Science in Action Program (Cosmocaixa, Barcelona, 2014).
  • Recognition for her work by the UNESCO Chair in Science Education for Latin America and the Caribbean on its 20th anniversary (2019).
  • Designated Honorary member of the Illustrious Official College of Geologists of Spain (2010).[3]
  • INNOVA-UCM Award for the project Geodivulgar: Geology and Society in the Innovation Projects call of the Vice-Rectorate for Quality (2019–2020).[13]
  • Awarded the Chris King Medal for Excellence in Geoscience Education, by the International Union of Geological Sciences COGE (2025) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to geoscience education worldwide.

Selected Publications and Key Contributions to Geoscience Education

The work of Dr. Amelia Calonge García focuses on making Earth sciences more accessible, engaging students, promoting gender equity, and introducing innovative teaching methods.[4]

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  • Calonge García, A., Fesharaki, O., & López Carrillo, M. D. (2022). Spanish Geology Olympiad winners: What they think about their geology learning and the Olympics experience? A prospective study. Episodes, 45(3), 299-308.
  • Fesharaki, O., Calonge García, A., & López Carrillo, M. D. (2020). The educational role of Geology Olympiads in Spain: Promotion of geological heritage and geoconservation between the youngsters. Geoheritage, 12(96), 1-12.
  • López Carrillo, D., Calonge García, A., Rodríguez Laguna, M. T., Ros Magán, G., & Lebrón Moreno, A. (2019). Using gamification in a teaching innovation project at the University of Alcalá: A new approach to experimental science practices. The Electronic Journal of E-Learning, 17(2), 93-106.
  • Fermeli, G., Meléndez, G., Koutsouveli, A., Dermitzakis, M., Calonge, A., Steininger, F., D’Arpa, C., & Di Patti, C. (2015). Geosciences’ teaching and students’ interest in secondary schools: Preliminary results from an interest research in Greece, Spain and Italy. Geoheritage, 7, 13-24.

Book Chapters

  • Calonge García, A., Molina Navarro, E., & Alfaro García, P. (2022). Dissemination about the environment: Keys to impulse the abiotic component of environmental education. In C. Vasconcelos & C. S. C. Calheiros (Eds.), Enhancing environmental education through nature-based solutions (pp. 9-24). Springer.
  • Dr. Calonge co-authored the foundational “Earth Science Literacy” framework in Spain (Pedrinaci et al., 2013), which defined core geological competencies and has been presented to educational policymakers.

References

  1. ^ a b “Geosfera | ARGOS | EducaMadrid”. www.educa2.madrid.org. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  2. ^ “Geosfera | ARGOS | EducaMadrid”. www.educa2.madrid.org. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  3. ^ a b “Mª Amelia Calonge GArcía”. The Conversation. 2024-11-10. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  4. ^ a b “María Amelia Calonge García – Universidad de Alcalá”. portalcientifico.uah.es. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  5. ^ Morate, José Luis Barrera (2013-04-01). “Amelia Calonge decana de la Facultad de Educación de la UAH”. Tierra y Tecnología (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  6. ^ STEAM Project – University of Alcala: https://20.jaem.es/20jaem/Comunicaciones/Procesos/CoP033.pdf
  7. ^ Domínguez, Agustín Senderos; Roca, Anna Anglisano; Sancho, Carmen María Álvarez; Romera, Cristina Martín; Brusi, David; GArcía, Mª Amelia Calonge; García, Sergio Rodríguez; Velázquez, Silvia Martín (2025-01-30). “Por qué entender la geología nos ayuda a entender el mundo”. The Conversation. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  8. ^ “16ª Olimpiada Española de Geología”. AEPECT (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  9. ^ “Amelia Calonge, nueva titular de la Cátedra en Educación Científica para América Latina y el Caribe de la Unesco”. EL DECANO DE GUADALAJARA (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  10. ^ “BOE.es – Sumario del día 24/11/2018”. www.boe.es. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  11. ^ Fesharaki, Omid; Calonge, Amelia; López Carrillo, María Dolores (2020-11-25). “The Educational Role of Geology Olympiads in Spain: Promotion of Geological Heritage and Geoconservation in Youngsters”. Geoheritage. 12 (4): 96. doi:10.1007/s12371-020-00521-z. ISSN 1867-2485.
  12. ^ “The Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark (Spain) was visited by 23 Sciences teachers of Chile – European Geoparks Network” (in Greek). 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2025-10-18.
  13. ^ “UCM – Proyecto de Innovación Geodivulgar: Geología y Sociedad”. www.ucm.es. Retrieved 2025-09-26.

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