Spanish Student Gabriella Alvarado
Gabriella Alvarado

B.A., Spanish, California State University, Fullerton 2020.
M.A in Spanish, California State University, Fullerton 2022.
Author of 2 poetry books.

Research interests: Indigenous literature, discrimination and racism of indigenous communities and women in the Mexican Revolution.
rosalva@uci.edu

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Natalia Álvarez Zanza

M.A in Literary Studies (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
B.A. in Education, (Universidad de Valladolid)

B.A in Literary Theory and Comparative Literature (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

Research interests: Medical Humanities, Modern and Contemporary Spanish Literature, Literature and Cinema, Literature and Music, Critical Theory
natalia3@uci.edu

Erika Casillas Spanish PhD
Erika Casillas

M.A., Spanish, Middlebury College, Vermont, 2023.
B.A., Spanish, California State University, Channel Islands, 2022. 

Research Interests: 20th-21st Century Mexican Literature and Culture
casille4@uci.edu

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Alejandra Castellanos

M.A., Spanish Literature, University of California, Irvine. 
B.A., Spanish, Minor in Chicano Studies, English/Spanish Translation Certificate, California State University, Channel Islands.

My research interest is the deconstruction of the narrative of masculinity in contemporary Latin American literature. In addition, I would like to hold literary workshops for immigrants with a focus on the exchange of ideas and experiences of masculinities. 
acastel5@uci.edu

FDLC PhD Student in Spanish
Luis Fernando de la Cruz Herrera

Ph.D. Candidate, Spanish, University of California, Irvine.
M.A., Spanish, Ohio University.
B.A., Humanidades y Filosofía, Universidad Mesoamericana de San Agustín, Yucatán, México.

I have published over twenty titles mostly of poetry ( (lyric, satirical, and for children). I believe in a sense of community based on understanding and unconditional love. I also believe that poetry (and the arts) can be an instrument for that (for building community and understanding), but not always is.

Professional interests: Pedagogy, creative writing, literary translation, & language teaching/acquisition. Research interest: Poetry in its many forms, particularly in native Mexican languages
luisfd@uci.edu

FDP PhD Student in Spanish
Federico De Palma

B.A., University of California, Irvine, 2023.

Research interests: 
fdepalma@uci.edu

MF PhD Student in Spanish
Melinda Franke

Ph.D. Candidate, Spanish, University of California, Irvine, 2022. 
M.A., Spanish, University of California, Irvine, 2019. 
B.A., Spanish & Physics, DePauw University, 2018. 

Research Interests: Early Modern Spanish Literature  and Culture, Sound Studies, Critical Theory.
mafranke@uci.edu

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Jeanny Fuentes

Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, Irvine. 
M.A., 
B.A., 

Research Interests: 
jeannyf@uci.edu

Julia Gomez PhD Spanish
Julia Verónica Gómez Rodríguez

Ph.D. Candidate, Spanish, University of California, Irvine, 2024.
M.A., Comunicación de la Ciencia y la Cultura, ITESO, México.
B.A., Letras Hispánicas, Universidad de Guadalajara, México,

Research Interests: Representations of violence in non-fiction narratives, particularly in contemporary Mexican Chronicles.
julia.g@uci.edu

Fernanda Hdz PhD Spanish
Fernanda Hernández Paredes

Ph.D. Candidate, Spanish, University of California, Irvine, 2024.
M.A. in Spanish, University of California, Irvine, 2023.
B.A. in Hispanic Literature, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. 

Her work focuses on material poetics, the intersections between activism and literature, and women writers of the 20th and 21st century in Mexico. Along with her academic work, she also writes fiction and non-fiction exploring themes such as language, pain, and violence.
mfherna6@uci.edu

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Juan Nelson Marcos Villahoz

Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, Irvine. 

Research Interests: 
jmarcosv@uci.edu

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Jacqueline Martinez Cerna

Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, Irvine.

Research Interests: 
jacqum8@uci.edu

Eli Massena PhD Spanish
María Elizabeth Massena

M.A., Spanish, California State University, Northridge, 2020.
M.A., Education, Universidad Adventista de Chile, 2016.
B.A., History, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 2010. 

Research Interests: Latin American Chronicles, 20th Century Latin American literature, Narcoliterature, Narcoviolence and Feminist Literature in the Southern Cone. 
mmassena@uci.edu

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Isabel Medina

M.A., Spanish, San Diego State University, 2024

Research Interests:  
immedina@uci.edu

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Robert Munrayos

M.A., 
B.A., 

Research Interests:  
rmunrayo@uci.edu

Fiona Oconnor
Fiona O'Connor

B.A. in Comparative Literature and International Political Economy, Fordham University, 2019.
Minors in Spanish and Philosophy.

Research Interests:  
oconnor2@uci.edu

Mell Rivera PhD Spanish
Mell Rivera

B.A., Comparative Literature, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras.

Research Interests: Contemporary Caribbean Literature, Feminist Theory, Affect Theory, Postcolonial Studies
mriverad@uci.edu

Romo PhD Student
Raúl Romo

M.A., Spanish, California State University, Bakersfield, 2023.
B.A., Design & Spanish, University of California, Davis, 2016. 

Research Interests: Contemporary Mexican Literature and Film; LGBTTQIA+ Activisms and Visual Culture.
rromodel@uci.edu

 

Saiidi PhD Spanish
Carina Saiidi Padilla

M.A., Urban Education, Language & Culture, Loyola Marymount University, 2014.
B.A., History, Spanish & Portuguese, UCLA, 2011.

Research Interests: Transnational Mexico-USA. Trauma and healing in the immigrant, Chicano community.
msaiidip@uci.edu

SanchezCano PhD Spanish
Marco Antonio Sanchez-Cano

M.A., Spanish Language and Literature, San Diego State University, 2023
B.A., Spanish, Minor in Latin American Studies, San Diego State University, 2021
B.A., Communications, San Diego State University, 2021

Research Interests: 20th-21st century Latin American literature (México and Argentina), Mexican Revolution, dictatorships, violence, pain, nationalism, critical theory, psychoanalysis.
marcoas3@uci.edu

Toscano PhD Spanish
Jeanie Toscano

Spanish Literature, University of California, Irvine
German, Spanish and Social Work, University of Portland
Fulbright Research Fellowship to Germany: 2008-2009

Research Interests: 20th and 21st century Latin American and US Chicanx Literature, aesthetics of violence, narcoliterature, border studies, gender and sexuality, postcolonial studies, and Hispanic musical cultures.
jrtoscan@uci.edu

Urdaneta PhD Spanish
José María Urdaneta Azuero

M.A., University of California, Irvine, 2019.
B.A., Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, 2016.

My research focuses on autobiographical writings, diaries and documentary cinema. Amongst others, I study the works of Luis Ospina, Joao Moreira Salles, Albertina Carri, Fernando Vallejo, Julio Ramón Ribeyro, Alejandra Pizarnik, Ricardo Piglia and Andrés Di Tella. More broadly, I am interested in literary theory and media studies.
jurdanet@uci.edu

Vasquez PhD Spanish
Jennifer Vasquez

M.A., Spanish, University of New Mexico, 2019
B.A., English Comparative & Literary Studies / Spanish Literary Studies, Occidental College, 2016.

Research Interests: Latin American literature and culture in the 20th and 21st century; Central American immigration; Post-colonial studies; Feminist theory
jennifsv@uci.edu

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Landon Yanez

M.A., 
B.A., 

Research Interests: 
lmyanez@uci.edu