Dr. Mariana Castro is a research scientist at the University of Wisconsin Madison and serves as co-director of the Multilingual Learning Research Center, a center housed at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research and dedicated to advancing the outcomes of multilingual learners through socially just research. Dr. Castro’s research examines the preparation of current and future STEM teachers to support multilingual learners’ academic development through culturally and linguistically sustaining approaches. Her most recent work investigates the use of innovative technologies, such as mixed-reality simulations and AI, to support educators’ rehearsals in the integration of translanguaging pedagogies and core teaching practices. She brings to her research over 30 years of experience in education, which includes over a decade as a K-12 educator and 16 years leading the development of language development standards and professional development at WIDA, a large state consortium focused on language development and academic achievement of English learners.