María Soledad Montañez

Dr. María Soledad Montañez serves as Lecturer in Spanish (Hispanic Studies) at the University of Glasgow, specializing in community-engaged research with Latin American migrant populations across the UK. Her institutional roles include co-convening the Glasgow Latin American Research Network and advising London's Southwark Latin American Network (SLAN), positioning her work at the critical intersection of academic scholarship and grassroots activism.

Her research program integrates Latin American Cultural Studies, gender analysis, and decolonial methodologies to examine diasporic communities, cinematic narratives, and language creativity. Particular emphasis falls on inclusive pedagogical practices, arts-based community methodologies, and the sociopolitical dimensions of multilingualism—reflecting her commitment to transforming academic work into tangible community impact through civic participation frameworks.

Publication trends since 2019 reveal sustained scholarly engagement with Uruguayan cinema (especially transnational horror narratives) and UK-based Latin American community dynamics, consistently bridging cultural analysis with decolonial praxis. Her output demonstrates methodological innovation through collaborative community projects rather than traditional laboratory settings.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Dorothy Sherman-Severin Research Fellowship for Early-Career Researchers in Luso-Hispanic Studies

Dr. Montañez actively supervises doctoral candidates while securing diverse funding streams including the Carnegie Trust Fund, Santander Fund, Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Fund, Chancellor's Fund, Learning and Teaching Fund, and Big Lottery Fund—primarily supporting community-engaged research and decolonial language pedagogy initiatives.

Her operational ecosystem centers on the Glasgow Latin American Research Network and SLAN partnerships, facilitating cross-institutional collaborations between academic researchers, community organizations, and migrant-led activist groups throughout Scotland and London to advance decolonial community language projects.