Dr. Susana Adriana Montaño Arias holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology, a Master's degree in Biology, and a Ph.D. from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Iztapalapa (UAM-I), alongside a Technical Degree in Programmer-Analyst from the Centro de Computación Profesional de México (CCPM). She completed a two-year CONACYT postdoctoral fellowship at the Colegio de Postgraduados (COLPOS, Montecillo Campus) and has completed 24 refresher and continuing education courses across various higher education institutions. She serves as an academic and researcher at UAM Iztapalapa and holds Level I status in Mexico's National System of Researchers (SNII; 2018–2020 and 2021–2025 terms).

Her primary research lines focus on: i) Legume Systematics and Taxonomy, ii) Legume Biology and Ecology, iii) Plant Ecoanatomy and Ecophysiology, and iv) Distribution of Plant Species. Her biological research centers on anatomical and physiological aspects, while her ecological work investigates plant-soil-atmosphere interactions (climate change and water stress) and plant-soil organism interactions (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, biological soil crusts, and arthropods) aimed at biodiversity and soil conservation, environmental restoration, and distribution modeling of Mimosa and Prosopis taxa in Mexico. Her scholarly output includes 20 peer-reviewed research articles in indexed journals and 4 science communication articles. She has delivered 75 presentations across 33 national congresses and 35 presentations across 16 international congresses, co-organized 13 national scientific events, and active participation in the Legume Biosystematics Research Group and the Scientific Society of Botany, Ecology, and Histology.

In university administration and institutional governance, she served as an Alternate Student Academic Councillor before the UAM-I Academic Council (2013–2015), Academic Representative for the Department of Biology (2022–2023), and served on CENEVAL's Commission (2010–2011) to validate test items for the National Exit Exam in Biology (EGEL-Bio). In community outreach, she collaborated in two adult literacy campaigns for the State of Mexico, teaching two Literacy Courses lasting six months and one year, respectively. Her funded research record includes 14 projects approved by the CBS Divisional Council (UAM-I) and 1 external project (UAM-I-CONABIO). Her teaching and mentorship track record comprises 60 undergraduate courses, 65 graduate courses, 17 invited lectures, 11 cultural outreach events, and supervision of 16 social service projects, 7 Master's theses, and 4 doctoral dissertations.