She is recognized for being the first woman to reach the position of full professor at the National University of La Plata and for her contributions in teaching geology.

At the age of 17, she published her first work, where she described the importance of observing nature, especially botany, and how to teach it, in the Archives of Pedagogy and Related Sciences,[2] of the currently called Faculty of Humanities of the UNLP.

[3] Also since 1907, Cortelezzi was a science teacher at the College of Women at the University of La Plata (later the Liceo Víctor Mercante), an institution of which she was appointed rector by Ricardo Levene in 1934.

[4][5] During her tenure, she introduced a series of modifications in teaching, which included field trips for learning science, physical and artistic education.

[3] She was mentioned in the presentation by Juan J. Burgos in his speech before the National Academy of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine "because in addition to her important work in mineralogy, she has left roots in the museum.