Elena Lopez

Dr. Elena Lopez is an academic staff member at Dublin City University (DCU), serving as the DCU Language & Culture Programme Coordinator within the School of Applied Language & Intercultural Studies. Her work bridges research and pedagogy, focusing on innovative language teaching methodologies and cultural heritage preservation.

Educations:

• Bachelor’s in Geography and History, Complutense University (Madrid)
• Master’s in Islamic Art, University of Edinburgh
• Master’s in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language, University Antonio Nebrija (Madrid)
• PhD in Multimodal Pedagogies in Spanish Language Education, DCU

Research Interests:

Elena’s research emphasizes Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to enhance language acquisition, particularly through art and visual literacy. She investigates how art-based approaches foster oral communication skills and promote social inclusion. Her work also evaluates institutional language programs, such as DCU’s Futures initiative, to align with national educational policies.

Advising & Grants:

No specific advising roles or grants are detailed in the provided text, though her doctoral research involved classroom-based pedagogy design.

Labs/Teams:

Coordinates the DCU Language & Culture Programme, a university-wide initiative promoting multilingualism and intercultural competence.