Learner Development and Skills Manager
I received my bachelor’s degree in English Linguistics and Literature from the University of Vigo in 2004 and my MA in Comparative Medieval Literature in 2006. I also obtained a Master's degree in 2006 in Teaching in Secondary Schools, Vocational Training and Language Centres.
In 2007 I left Spain and moved to Newcastle upon Tyne. Since then I have worked for several institutions and universities in the north east, including Durham University, The North East Centre for Lifelong Learning and Gosforth Academy. In 2015 I completed a PhD in English Literature with an international mention (Confronting Evil and the Monstrous ‘Other’ in Beowulf and its filmic adaptations: Understanding Heroic Action and the Limits of Knowledge).
I am also a trained teacher of Spanish in Higher Education (University of Durham, 2010). For many years I was a literature and history tutor at the Joseph Cowen Centre for Lifelong Learning in Newcastle. I have also been a visiting researcher at the Universities of Durham and Oxford.
Here at the University of Sunderland, I am currently the Learner Development and Skills Manager within the University Library. In the past, I have been the EAP Manager, Programme Leader for MA Education (on campus), and have contributed to BA (Hons) English: Creative and Professional Writing in the School of Media and Communications.
Teaching and supervision
Since I joined The University of Sunderland in 2007 I have undertaken a variety of roles in the School of Culture, School of Education as well as within the University Library, lecturing and managing Teams across subjects. At the moment I am part of the teaching team on the following programme:
I currently lead and/or teach a range of EAP short courses including:
- EAP301 & 303: English for Academic Purposes: Dissertation Writing
- EAP302: Presentation Skills for Postgrad Research Students
Supervision: I am supervising a number of PhD students in English, History and Education and have supervised undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations in English, MFL, and History on a great variety of topics.
I am happy to work with prospective research students who wish to do research that relates to one or more of my areas of expertise.
Research interests for potential research students
I approach research from a multidisciplinary perspective. Specialising in the early medieval period and its adaptations in the context of the modern world, I look at the Old English literary corpus and aim to work on translations of the most significant texts into modern languages (eg Spanish and Galician). I am also interested in critical thinking and academic writing skills.
As someone who contributes to different teams across two faculties, I have conducted research on Early Medieval Literature and History, translation studies, and the work of J.L. Borges and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Research
My research interests include the translation of medieval texts, Old English language and literature, historical linguistics, the work of J.L. Borges and J.R.R. Tolkien, critical thinking in education, comparative literature and the study of cinematic adaptations of medieval texts.
- Old English literature
- Translation studies (translation of literature)
- Critical thinking
- Academic writing
- Spanish culture, language and literature
- Medieval history and literature
- Fantasy literature: J.R.R. Tolkien, J.L. Borges