Martina Casiano y Mayor

Martina Casiano y Mayor (30 January 1881 – 1958) was a Spanish chemist and teacher who in 1912 became the first female member of the Spanish Society of Physics and Chemistry (La Real Sociedad Española de Física y Química, SEFQ). She was the first Spanish woman to write a textbook, which was titled Physics Experiments. At 14, she entered the Central Normal School, where her initial studies were not very fruitful. She even failed Arithmetic and Geometry, which would end up becoming her specialty as a teacher. Despite everything, her performance improved noticeably each year. After finishing with excellent grades, she passed the Elementary Primary School Teacher's Examination (June 1898), and the following year she obtained the title of Higher Primary School Teacher. Finally, in June 1901, she passed the Teacher Training Examination and earned her teaching certificate.

Teacher On 2 March 1905, she won a competitive examination for a teaching position at the Horcajo de Santiago (Cuenca) Public School for Girls with a salary of 825 pesetas, but quickly took a new position on 14 July 1905 when she won another competitive exam. This one allowed her to become a tenured professor at the Higher Teacher Training College for Women in Bilbao at 2,000 pesetas per year.

For almost 30 years, Martina Casiano taught classes exclusively to women. She primarily worked as a tenured professor of Physics and Chemistry, but also taught Basic Agriculture, Physical and Natural Sciences, Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry and Pedagogy. Apart from her teaching activity, she was very active on the Vizcaya Child Protection Board from March 1908 to October 1911.

Distinctions At the Science Park of the University of the Basque Country, the Technological Platform has been named for Martina Casiano.

Memberships Spanish Society of Physics and Chemistry (SEFQ) Spanish Association for the Advancement of Science (AEPPC).