Ana María Cetto is Master in Biophysics from Harvard, and Master and Ph.D. in Physics from UNAM.

She does research on the foundations of quantum mechanics at the Institute of Physics and teaches at the Faculty of Sciences, UNAM. Has published 25 books and 290 articles.

Has been inter alia Director of the Faculty of Sciences, the Museum of Light and the Mexican Journal of Physics, co-founder of the Third World Organization for Women in Science (OWSD), consultant to UNESCO for the World Conference on Science, member of the Governing Board of the United Nations University, and Secretary General of the International Science Council.

She is founding President of LATINDEX, past President of the Mexican Physical Society (SMF), head of the project Lights over the City, holder of the UNESCO Chair on Science Diplomacy and Heritage at UNAM, and Chair of the UNESCO Global Open Science Steering Committee.

She has received i.a. the national awards for the Development of Physics (2002) and for Scientific Research from the SMF (2012), the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science in 2023, and the Oganesson Prize in 2024. In  2003 she was named Woman of the Year in Mexico. A chair at the University of Guadalajara and the optics museum at the Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, A.C. are named after her. She participated in the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the Executive Committee of the Pugwash Conferences and in the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize as Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.