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October 2025 

Dr. Evelyn Cordero Roldán

PhD in Neuroscience, Executive Director of Fundación Arrebol, Chile.

Creativity is not magic or coincidence; it is a complex process that involves prior knowledge and executive functions such as attention, memory, inhibitory control, and flexibility. By allowing and fostering it, we can open new frontiers for learning and innovation.

Dr. Evelyn Cordero Roldán is a renowned neuroscientist and educator from Santiago, Chile, recognized among “100 Mujeres Líderes” for her impact in education and science. She holds a doctorate in Neuroscience from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and specializes in cognitive neuroscience with a focus on education. She serves as Executive Director of Fundación Arrebol, guiding its mission to bring scientific evidence into classroom practice and policy. Dr. Cordero Roldán is recognized for her dedication to promoting diversity, inclusion, and excellence in education, and has spearheaded initiatives in both research and promoting accessibility to scientific knowledge.  Outside her professional work, Evelyn is an avid reader, particularly of female writers, and she enjoys attending the cinema regularly. She also treasures music deeply, stating that without it, her life would have no meaning.

Description of Her Work

At Fundación Arrebol, Dr. Cordero Roldán leads efforts to apply cognitive neuroscience insights to educational challenges, particularly creativity and teacher evaluation. She coordinates the biannual Symposium on Neuroscience and Education and writes collaborative books on visual thinking and neuromyths in education (the latter distributed freely). She is advancing research studying creativity in school contexts with ecological designs focused on real-world educational environments. Additionally, she teaches at Universidad Andrés Bello and consults on educational practices informed by neuroscience.

Key Findings

  • Creativity depends heavily on cognitive factors like prior knowledge and executive functions, making it complex and elusive rather than spontaneous.
  • Teacher evaluations and education strategies should integrate findings from neuroscience to improve learning outcomes.
  • Addressing and dispelling neuromyths is critical for equitable and evidence-based education.
  • Educational innovation benefits from blending scientific research with practical classroom realities, including through large-scale events and accessible publications.