Dr Glenda Mejia

Glenda is a scholar, and an educator born in El Salvador. She completed her PhD at The University of Queensland, Brisbane. She teaches in the field of migration/mobility, and the Spanish language studies at the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies. 

Her publications cover topics on experiences and memories of Latin American (im)migrants in Australia (e.g., identity, belonging, place-making and intersectionality). 

As an educator and a scholar Glenda is committed to un-/re-/learning, teaching and re-me-we-searching by applying a praxis of decolonising approaches and senti-pensando pedagogy. Her ethics, teaching, and work are inspired by Paulo Freire, bell hook and Gloria Anzaldúa.

As a Spanish language lecturer, Glenda received the 2014 RMIT Award for Teaching Excellence – College of Design and Social Context, Higher Education. She received this award for sustained passion and dedication to teaching Spanish and for empowering and challenging students to learn through student-centred, fun and innovative teaching and learning methods.

Grants and awards

• 2014: Award for Teaching Excellence, Higher Education (College of Design and Social Context)
• 2014 – 2015: DEEWR Study Overseas Short Term Mobility to La Salle University, Mexico
• 2011: DEEWR Study Overseas Short Term Mobility Program Study to Javariana University, Colombia
• 2009: Transition Funding, RMIT University. Aim: to develop listening material for various levels of Spanish
• 2007: Transition Funding, RMIT University. Aim: to develop a course for the students to prepare for the Spanish Proficiency Test (DELE)
• 2003: Graduate School Research Travel Award, The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus
• 2002: Philology Scholarship, Department of Romance Languages, The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus
• 2002: Nominated for Dean's List Most Effective Teacher Award, The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus

• Senior Lecturer, Global and Language Studies
• Course Coordinator: Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 3, Spanish 6, and Spanish Language in Context
• Course Coordinator: Global Mobility, and Ethnic Relations

Teaching and learning

Glenda designs her curriculum and assessments by using a pedagogy which foster a critical revision of the already set up cultural and historical contexts in order to (un)/relearned it in an open, dynamic, inclusive and equity space within her classes. Her teaching is inspired by Paulo Freire, bell hook and Gloria Anzaldúa.

Research

Glenda is an active researcher with a productive record of publication outcomes.

Current research projects

• Latin American migration/mobility experiences
  
• Storytelling Displacement: El Salvador
• Pedagogical Praxis and Decolonising ways of thinking

Research supervision and research interest

Glenda is a registered research supervisor.

Her areas of research supervision include:

• Migration/Mobility, Displacement, Place-making & Belonging
• Decolonising ways of thinking in Pedagogy
• Women’s Studies (intersectionality and decolonising feminism)
• Socio-linguistics (Language & Identity)
• Latin American Cinema

• Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, RMIT University 2008 (updated 2012)
• PhD title: Representation of Women in Revolutionary Cuban Cinema. University of Queensland (UQ)
• MA title: Language and Identity: The Second Generation of Hispanic Adolescents in Brisbane. University of Queensland (UQ)

Member

• AILASA (Association of Iberian and Latin American Studies of Australasia)
  
• LASA (Latin American Studies Association)
• Cuban Forum Nottingham University
• Screen Cultures, RMIT
• DERC (Design Ethnography Research Centre, RMIT)
• Social and Global Studies Centre (SGSC)
• LCNAU (Languages and Cultures Network for Australian Universities)
• VATS (Victoria Association for Teachers of Spanish)
• Latin American Urban Research Group, RMIT