Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Reynaldo Ramirez has been an educator at both private, public and higher education institutions. He has taught science and mathematics courses in the Los Fresnos, Point Isabel, and Brownsville public school systems since 1974. He spent four years teaching biology, physical science, and advanced biology at the Marine Military Academy, a private military school. He coached swimming, basketball, and football for the first six years of his career. He is currently the department chairperson for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the School of Education at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.
Dr. Ramirez became a teacher and department chairperson in 1980 at Porter High School in Brownsville where he helped to develop the high school laboratory science programs and integrated technology in science teaching. He sponsored several students in developing school district, regional, and international championship caliber science projects.
In 1987, Dr. Ramirez was employed as Brownsville ISD's K-12 science curriculum specialist where he reinstituted science fairs at the elementary level. With the support of a $2.5 million budget, he coordinated the district's Saturday Academy program which at that time was hailed as the largest parental involvement initiative. While at BISD's central office, he gained experience with federal program evaluation and programs.
In the early 1990's, Dr. Ramirez led the grant development that resulted in the first National Science Foundation funding for science and mathematics teacher professional development and student achievement activities. The first grant period has ended, but funds from the NSF and other agencies have continued to reach many children and teachers within the area. Dr. Ramirez continues to serve as one of the co-principal investigators with the current NSF grant and has been the project director for many other teacher training and student activity grants. The most recently, the Robert Noyce Math and Science Student grant provides scholarships for students interested in entering science and mathematics classrooms.
As a teacher as well as a teacher leader, Dr. Ramirez has provided resources to support professional development for elementary and secondary science teachers. During the summers he offers a program for teachers to participate in environmental education activities through a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). He is currently the project director for the University of Texas at Brownsville Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching and provides oversight for the Early Childhood Education grant supported by the U.S. Department of Education.
Prior to being employed full time with the University of Texas at Brownsville, he served as an adjunct instructor with the biology department where he taught human genetics and anatomy and physiology courses. Dr. Ramirez received his doctorate from the University of Houston in Higher Education Administration and Supervision. His studies emphasized curriculum development in the area of science teacher professional development. He is currently an associate professor of secondary and science education in the School of Education's Department of Curriculum and Instruction. After serving as interim-chair for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for a year, he now serves as the full-time chair overseeing an exceptional faculty of reading, early childhood, secondary education, mathematics, and science education programs. His duties include overseeing the teacher certification, student teaching, and alternative certification programs.