Ana María Cetto is research professor at the Institute of Physics, and lecturer at the Faculty of Sciences, National University of Mexico (UNAM). Her main research areas are the foundations of quantum mechanics, and scholarly journals in Iberoamerica. She has over 250 publications, including 110 research articles and 11 books. She has served as Dean of the Faculty of Sciences (UNAM), Secretary General of the International Council for Science (ICSU), chair of the Executive Committee of the Pugwash Conferences, member of the Governing Board of the United Nations University, and Deputy Director General of the IAEA. She is founding President of LATINDEX , head of the Museum on Light (UNAM), and member of the Governing Board, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM). Ana Maria Cetto was Council member of the Pugwash Conferences when the International organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995. Being Deputy Technical Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, she was also participant of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

In 2003, she was named "Woman of the Year" and several other distinctions as member of the Third World Academy of Science (with headquarters in Italy), the Mexican Academy of Science, the Mexican Physics Academy and the American Physical Society.

 She received the "Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz" distinction awarded by the UNAM in recognition to her work in the educational area. She is also a member of the World Future Council.