M. Cristina Diez is a chemist and Doctor in food science. She has conducted research in environmental biotechnology focused on biological wastewater treatments such as biopurification systems for pesticide degradation. Another line of her research is waste management. She is a full Professor at the University of La Frontera, Director of the Excellence Center CIBAMA-BIOREN, and a member of the Biological Sciences Area Committee of the National Accreditation Commission (CNA). She was a member of the Higher Council for Technological Development of FONDECYT.