Ricardo Jose Patron Mier y Teran
Global Human Development Student
Ricardo is interested in program design and evaluation, together with how local community efforts can become a driving force for development. He is passionate about educational work and improving livelihoods through innovative programs.
Originally from Southeast Mexico, he graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City with a bachelor’s degree in international relations. He additionally spent time studying in the Netherlands. As a student, he completed work as a research assistant on topics such as sustainability, community-led development, and migration issues. Most recently, he worked at Impulso Universitario, an education-centered non-profit in his hometown, focusing on obtaining resources for the organization alongside project management and evaluation. At that time, interaction with other local-level organizations, both nationally and internationally, made him realize the need for further resources many of them have. That further advanced his decision to seek a career in the field of international development.
He looks forward to joining the GHD program to acquire new skills and knowledge from peers and faculty. He aspires to obtain the tools needed to function as a bridge between local organizations and the support they need.
Summer internship
During the summer, I completed a 10-week internship with the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines. There, I worked on building and analyzing large datasets linking teacher performance evaluations with student learning outcomes. My work involved cleaning and harmonizing multi-year data from teacher appraisals, school assessments, and resource indicators, as well as analyzing the data for teacher ratings, student achievement and their relationship. I also created data visualization templates and briefing materials to support discussions around teacher quality, in line with current institutional reforms taking place in the country. Through this experience, I deepened my technical skills, while also gaining insight into the operational challenges of education systems and the importance of evidence-based policymaking. Working directly with DepEd allowed me to contribute to ongoing reforms while strengthening my ability to translate quantitative analysis into policy-relevant recommendations.