Dr. Natalia Lara Nieto-Márquez

Natalia Lara Nieto Márquez, Ph.D. in Education Sciences, holds a distinction in Industrial Doctorate and received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award from Camilo José Cela University (UCJC). She is a lecturer at UCJC in Educational Research Methodology, as well as Innovation and Implementation of Educational Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in teaching through active methodologies. She also serves as the academic quality coordinator at the Faculty of Education. Natalia currently leads the project “Critical Thinking and Workforce Transformation: Redefining University Curricula for the AI Era” at UCJC as a member of the WISE-IIE university consortium.

Over recent years, she has developed and managed numerous research projects in the technological and social fields. She specializes in the evaluation of design processes, learning outcomes, and user experience in digital products. Her background bridges academia and industry through consulting and applied research in educational technology, user experience (UXR), accessibility, and the evaluation of digital platforms.

With more than a decade of research experience, she has directed more than fifty projects—including master’s theses and doctoral dissertations—and has designed more than a hundred digital games and educational materials. Her experience is complemented by research stays and positions in international tech companies. Among her most recent completed projects—added to her scientific output—is “EDUSMART-IA: Intelligent Learning Strategies for a Sustainable Academic Future,” funded by the 10th UCJC Research Call for Proposals. In this project, Natalia served as the principal researcher, studying how AI enhances metacognitive self-regulation and user experience in university learning.