The STAT Teacher Spotlight is a video Q&A series featuring great teachers who inspire discovery of the world through science. If you know a colleague with an amazing story, nominate them to be featured in a future Teacher Spotlight by emailing STAT at [email protected] with the subject line Teacher Spotlight.

Meet Ramon Benavides, who has been passionately teaching about the fascinating world of biology for the last 12 years at Del Valle High School and El Paso Community College. Through his work, he hopes to produce future STEM leaders from the El Paso Border Region. He enjoys serving as a role model for youth with socioeconomic backgrounds and educational attainment obstacles similar to those he encountered growing up in South Texas. He also enjoys fishing, hiking, and camping with his wife and son. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Uchenna Emenaha is a former public school science teacher having taught at both the middle school and high school level. She is currently an assistant professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. Her research informs and is informed by culturally responsive teaching practices. When she is not teaching you can find her working out or attending a live music event. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.