I always regarded myself as a combination of an artist, an activist, a scientist, and an entrepreneur which is why, after I obtained my first college degree in Agricultural Engineering, agronomy and animal science from the Monterrey Tech in Mexico, I felt the need to pursue an International MBA at Lancaster (1997) that would allow me to acquire the necessary international experience and tools to pursue fruitful multi-disciplinary international career related to what I loved most: nature.
In short, after my MBA at Lancaster, with an exchange program with Emlyon business school in France, where I specialized in Strategic Planning and Marketing; I studied a PhD (summa cum laude) in Biological Sciences and Sustainable Development from the UANL; a Law Degree with honorable mention of excellence at TecMilenio, Mexico; and a Master's Degree in Cinematographic Art and Multimedia at Ilumina, Mexico.
I am a member of the National System of Researchers (SNI1). In 2021 the government of Costa Rica awarded me the Ray Tico International Award for my work in favor of nature and society. A month later that year, the “Claustro Doctoral Honoris Causa”, which is made up of a consortium of international universities and institutes, conferred upon me the title Doctor honoris causa “for my professional career and contributions to society”. In 2020, I received the Conservation Award from the Arizona Game and Fish, for my professional career in favor of wetlands and wildlife in the transboundary region between the Mexico and the United States. That same year I produced, filmed and directed the feature documentary film Ad memoriam rei perpetuam, which was officially selected for exhibition at the international film festival, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF) in 2021; as well as the Sunshine International Environmental Film Festival 2021, in which it has been nominated, “for the most sustainable film award”. Moreover, I produced, directed and filmed the short documentary “Cuatro Ciénegas and the Tragedy of the Commons” which received the “Best foreign short film award” during the WCFF 2021, was quarter finalist at the Neum, underwater film festival in Herzegovina that same year, and has been officially selected in both “Docs without Boarders Film Festival”, 2022 in the US, and the FIIN short film festival of Biodiversity 2021 in Vila Real, Portugal.
In 2015, I was awarded the UANL research prize for the best research document in the area of the Natural Sciences during 2014; in 2014 I received the Dr. Jose Alvarez del Villar award from the Mexican Ichthyological Society; in 1994 the medal of "Best students of Mexico" by the President of Mexico.
I was CEO of Pronatura Noreste, a conservation NGO, from 2011 to 2021, and before that, Director of the binational (U.S. and Mexico) Chihuahuan Desert Program for the WWF for six years.
From 2015 to 2020 I was the first environmental member and Alternate President of the Rio Bravo Basin Council.
In the beginning of my career, after my MBA I started and directed for 6 years, “AgroLinks de Mexico” a Produce company (mainly producing papaya, watermelon and tomato) for export to the US and Canada.
Moreover, I have published scientific papers in various international journals, related to zoology, edited books in various academic fields, developed legal analysis and policy work on freshwater, the natural environment and sustainable development, and produced, directed and assisted in filming a significant number of short films, including one with BBC Nature, and an award-winning feature nature documentary film. Currently I own and direct "De la Maza Consulting and Films".