My name is Maria-Paz Martin. I am currently the director of the Royal Botanical Garden-CSIC and a Research Professor. My research focuses on discovering and describing the diversity of fungi through morphological, physiological and molecular characters, analyzing the genetic variability of species and establishing phylogenetic relationships between them. Since 2014 I have been a visiting professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande (Natal, Brazil), in the graduate program in Systematics and Evolution. I am a mentor at IES Miguel Delibes and IES Manuel de Falla within the STEMadrid program to promote scientific vocations. I also participate in the mentoring program of the Association of Women Researchers and Technologists (AMIT). As it is popularly said, I believe unequivocally, I support and I practice scientific dissemination. In my free time, among other activities, I like to read historical novels and poetry, cook for family and friends, go to the theater, the cinema or see ballet performances and, above all, go for walks.