Raquel Medina

Raquel Medina is a Research Fellow in the Department of English, Languages and Applied Linguistics at Aston University. Previously, she held roles as Assistant and Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (1994–2006) before joining Aston as Head of Spanish in 2006. She holds a PhD in Spanish from the University of Southern California and a BA in Spanish Philology from Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Her research focuses on dementia studies, ageing, and cultural representations in Spanish literature and film, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. She directs the CinemAGEnder International Research Network and co-directs the Dementia and Culture Network. Medina’s work explores how cultural texts shape societal perceptions of aging and illness.

She has authored books such as Cinematic Representations of Alzheimer's Disease (2018) and co-edited volumes like Envejecimientos y cines ibéricos (2021). Her awards include the Victoria Urbano Prize for Distinguished Academic Career (2023). Medina is actively involved in editorial roles, including serving as Executive Director of the European Network in Aging Studies (ENAS).

• Education: PhD (USC), MA (USC), BA (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
• Professional Networks: AHGBI, MLA, European Network in Aging Studies
• Key Projects: MASCAGE (Ageing Masculinities), Gynocine (Spanish Women’s Cinema)