Laura M. Martins

Laura M. Martins is a Professor of Spanish at Louisiana State University (LSU), affiliated with the Department of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures within the College of Humanities & Social Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park (1996). Her research focuses on contemporary Latin American literature and cinema, with special emphasis on Luis Buñuel’s avant-garde works, cinema and human rights in Argentina, neoliberal cultural critiques, and the interplay between poetry and film. She has directed multiple LSU study abroad programs in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Latin America since 2002.

Her academic career includes leadership roles such as LSU HSS Faculty Senator (2019–present), Director of Undergraduate Studies (2005–2007, 2015–2016, 2020–2021), and Director of Graduate Studies (2009). She has been recognized with prestigious awards like the Nicholson Award for Outstanding Faculty (2015) and the 2023 LASA Premio Humanidades for her book Lo poético cinematográfico.

Her publications span monographs, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed articles on topics such as Argentinian cinema’s engagement with neoliberalism, postcolonial aesthetics, and the intersection of cinema and human rights. She actively contributes to international academic networks, including the ACE Internationalization Lab Committee.