Tell us about your research project and why it is important to you.
My project consists of researching the mediations, actions, and negotiations that Latinx secondary students (classified as English Language Learners or Limited English) carry out to complete their work, homework, and school activities using multiliteracies while they are studying and learning the English language. Multiliteracy is a theory of language that studies the way of teaching and learning using digital literacy, hypertext, multimodal texts (visual, auditory), whether in print or electronic form. My project seeks to identify the multiliteracies of Latinx secondary students in the Juárez-El Paso region; how they are different from other students who do not have problems with the English language, as well as other social factors that influence this learning process.
Have you presented or published your research anywhere? Tell us about the experience.
I have presented my research project in some of my Ph.D. classes. In my presentations, I incorporate the knowledge that I am acquiring in the program with the research that I am carrying out. At the same time, I am combining my research project with another project related to Latinx secondary students in the U.S.-Mexico border region.
What would you say is something interesting about your area of study that most people do not know?
An interesting aspect of my project is that it addresses the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez border region, where bilingualism is part of the culture of both countries. In addition, most studies that address multiliteracy focus on students in general, without considering the particularities of Latinx individuals.
Tell us about your academic or professional collaborations with Mexico.
Throughout my doctoral studies in the United States, I have contributed to the publication of book reviews on feminism and multiliteracies, as well as articles on narrative research and bilingualism.
What drew you to Texas and UT El Paso?
What drew me to the Ph.D. program in Teaching, Learning, and Culture was its focus on literacy/biliteracy, which is one of the specialties of this program that you can't find in other degree plans. In addition, the instructors’ areas of expertise were really appealing to me when making the decision.
What have been some good things you did not expect about Texas or UT El Paso?
UTEP is an institution where there is a lot of support for Latinx students. Thanks to the agreement with Conacyt, I am charged in-state tuition. If it were not for this agreement, my scholarship would be insufficient. Undoubtedly another unique aspect of this institution is the teachers, who are bilingual (Spanish and English) and have a great sense of social justice and its close relationship with language.
What have been the biggest challenges of studying at UT El Paso and living in the United States?
Without a doubt, the change of culture has been the most complicated. Moving abroad to study results in culture shock, which has been softened by the program's professors and their excellent sense of collaboration with foreign students.
How has the support of ConTex and Conacyt impacted you?
The support of ConTex and Conacyt has impacted my academic career because it has allowed me to focus on my studies and publications without having to worry about my finances.
What kind of work do you hope to do in the future? How do you hope your research will benefit people in the United States and Mexico?
My plan is to return to Mexico and work in a university program that can prepare teachers in multiliteracy. I am also interested in carrying out studies at different educational levels as to how students and teachers approach multiliteracy.
What advice would you give to other Mexican students considering studying in Texas?
My advice to Mexican students who wish to come to study in the United States is to choose a university in Texas. These institutions are prestigious, their professors are excellent, and the UTEP staff is very understanding with international students; they always give you support with any questions you might have and help you adapt to the change in culture.
