Mark Lester Garcia 

Mark Lester B. Garcia is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Ateneo de Manila University and a PhD candidate in Mathematics Education. His research focuses on mathematics education, large-scale assessments, metacognition, and psychometrics. In August 2024, he co-authored a paper on leveraging international large-scale assessments for professional development of high school mathematics teachers, which received the Best Scientific Paper award at the National Conference on Educational Measurement and Evaluation (NCEME). Garcia has contributed to multiple studies, including developing PISA-like mathematics items and exploring cognitive load in learning mathematical concepts. 

“Working at the intersection of data and learning, I design ways to make large-scale assessments meaningful for classrooms. My research blends psychometrics, cognition, and policy—building bridges between what we measure and what helps students thrive.”