Dr. Greetchen Díaz-Muñoz is a scientist, educator, communicator, and advocate for diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), with a particular focus on empowering girls and women. Throughout her career, she has led numerous initiatives to promote STEM disciplines in Puerto Rico, the United States, and beyond. Her efforts include the creation of projects and collaborations in science education, communication, outreach, and public policy.
Dr. Díaz-Muñoz is currently the Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR), where she leads the organization’s mission to democratize science and transform education through community-driven initiatives. Prior to this role, she served as Director of the Science Education Program and Community Partnerships at CienciaPR, overseeing programs for K-12 teachers and students in collaboration with CienciaPR’s network of STEM experts. She founded CienciaPR’s blog Borinqueña, which focuses on empowering Hispanic and Puerto Rican women and girls in STEM, and launched Puerto Rico’s first Girls in STEM Ambassadors Program, Seeds of Success.
Before joining CienciaPR’s staff in 2017, Dr. Díaz-Muñoz was the Grants Program Director at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (PRSTRT). There, she was responsible for implementing Puerto Rico’s first local grants mechanism and coordinating key outreach activities, including the Research & Innovation Meetups, the Forward Research & Innovation Summit, and the Forward Grantees Symposium.
Dr. Díaz-Muñoz has also contributed significantly to science communication and education. In collaboration with CienciaPR, PRSTRT, and other organizations, and she produced and hosted La Fórmula STEAM, a Spanish-language educational TV show highlighting Latino stars in STEAM.
Her leadership extends to the field of microbiology. She served as President of the Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologists, the local branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). At ASM, she became the first Latina on the organization’s board of directors under its new governance structure. She also served as the inaugural chair of the Inclusive Diversity with Equity, Access, and Accountability (IDEAA) Committee, which seeks to make microbial sciences a more equitable and accessible discipline.
Due to her achievements and advocacy, Dr. Díaz-Muñoz was recognized by Lyda Hill Philanthropies and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as an IF/THEN Ambassador, a role focused on inspiring the next generation of STEM pioneers. As part of this initiative, she was featured in the IF/THEN exhibit, the largest collection of statues of women assembled in one location.
Dr. Díaz-Muñoz has received numerous awards and honors from organizations including the University of Puerto Rico, The Ohio State University, ASM, SACNAS, and the Ford Foundation. She was recognized by the Senate of Puerto Rico in 2017 for her professional accomplishments and by the House of Representatives in 2021 for her contributions to education. Her work has been featured in local and international media, including Telemundo, WAPA TV, WIPR, El Nuevo Día, Marie Claire, and Scientific American.
She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, and earned her PhD in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at The Ohio State University. She later pursued postdoctoral research at the Nebraska Center for Virology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she was awarded an NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship.
