Professor María Virginia Cervantes Gutiérrez is a biologist by training and completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at the Faculty of Sciences of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). During her academic development and professional performance, she has participated in Research-Development Projects related to the improvement and recovery of ecosystems transformed by agricultural activities, or with processes of degradation, damage or destruction of natural resources.

For the activities carried out in the municipalities of Alcozauca and Alpoyeca within the framework of the Program for the Use and Management of Renewable Natural Resources in the Mountain Region of Guerrero, SEDUE received the National Ecology Award in 1988. Subsequently, in 1998 UNAM was awarded the Alfonso Caso Medal for the Master's Thesis "Reforestation in the Mountain Region of Guerrero: an Alternative Strategy with Native Leguminous Plants". In 2006 the Arturo Warman Chair assigned a second place distinction to his Ph.D. Thesis An Interdisciplinary Approach to Environmental Restoration: Case Study of a Nahua Community in Southern Mexico.

The line of research developed is Environmental Restoration; in this framework she has promoted research projects that address issues directly or indirectly related to this discipline. For example, studies of germination and growth of tropical deciduous forest species, with which it was possible to generate techniques to propagate them and use them in restoration actions; as well as those related to ex situ conservation of seeds to establish collections -basic and active-, which would ensure the propagules of the desired species for the production of nursery plants. In the context of restoration praxis, the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of rehabilitation actions in socio-ecological systems in the mountain region of Guerrero have been relevant, as well as research on the relationship between soil and vegetation to create indicators to assess recovery. Another approach developed are the socio-environmental diagnostic studies to establish the baseline of degradation or damage of the system under study and thus create the guidelines to which rehabilitation, reconversion, mitigation and environmental compensation actions should be subjected. Research on production systems has been very useful for restoration activities; its study has facilitated the analysis of the forms of appropriation carried out by human societies and their impacts on socio-ecological systems. Finally, she has also developed projects oriented to the documentation and analysis of public policies regarding reforestation, environmental compensation, soil restoration and in general the country's vegetation cover.

The results have been published in scientific journals, books, and book chapters. They have also been disseminated in national and international academic congresses, courses, and training workshops for the inhabitants of the study regions. The studies developed have also contributed to the training of Social Service, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Regarding teaching, she has taught more than 50 undergraduate and graduate courses and currently participates in the modules of Ecological Systems Analysis and Environmental Analysis and Planning at the Xochimilco Campus. Additionally, he has given numerous talks and lectures to undergraduate and graduate students from different universities in the country. She has also provided advice on environmental restoration issues to public officials of governmental institutions: CONABIO, CONAFOR, CONANP; Civil Associations, Producers' Organizations and Private Companies.