Macarena Jimenez

Dr. Macarena Jimenez is a Lecturer in Spanish Studies at the University of Sydney, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney (completed during her fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation), an MA from Nebrija University, and a BA from the Universidad de Granada, Spain. Her research focuses on Spanish applied linguistics, particularly language diversity in teaching Spanish as a foreign/second language, with emphasis on geographic variation and teacher perceptions. She coordinates Spanish language units at all levels and teaches courses such as SPAN2611, SPAN2612, and SPAN3612.

Key research interests include language pedagogy, second language teaching methodologies, Spanish sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics. Her work explores how language ideologies and teacher attitudes influence pedagogical practices, particularly in multilingual contexts.

Dr. Jimenez has received notable awards, including the 2018 Faculty of Arts Excellence in Teaching Award and 2023 Commendation for Excellence in Teaching. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and actively participates in professional associations like the Applied Linguistics Association of Australia (ALAA) and ASELE.

Her publications and conference presentations address topics such as emotional competence in language education, sustainability in tutoring programs, and pluricentric language teaching challenges. She has presented at international conferences in Australia, Spain, Finland, and the UK, advocating for inclusive and critically oriented language pedagogies.