| Sumario: | A dual career in educational research and scientific research is always a challenge. If you work on educational research in a world of chemists, or do chemistry in a world of educators, the result may be a devaluation (or even disqualification) of your work when you are evaluated by specialists in one area only. When I was a secondary school student, I had two dreams: to become a teacher and to succeed as a medical scientist. As it turned out, I chose chemistry in college and obtained a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, thereby opening career pathways towards both research in medicinal chemistry and in chemical education. Thirty years later I have attained a fair amount of achievements and also realized my dreams. I have written three successful single-authored books and edited three more books in Spanish on chemistry, science, and pedagogy. In collaboration with four coworkers, we have applied for an international patent and licensed it to an Argentine pharmaceutical laboratory involving specific compounds with the unique ability to be simultaneously antiviral and anti-inflammatory for use against epidemic ocular conjunctivitis. From my own experience, I would provide two pieces of advice for a researcher: work hard and persevere in face of setbacks. © 2015 American Chemical Society.
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