Teaching and research mentorship

“I wrote my doctoral thesis on game-oriented methodologies in a Japanese university context with Javier’s supervision. Under his guidance I learnt how to create a solid theoretical framework as well as the best way to communicate the results of my research. The knowledge I adquired writing my thesis has also helped me advance in my career and has given me the basis to continue pursuing my research with confidence” (Beatriz).

“I wrote my doctoral thesis on aesthetic emotions in Old English poetry under Javier’s supervision. My research explored how Anglo-Saxon literary traditions expressed and conceptualized aesthetic experiences. Under his supervision, I developed an interdisciplinary approach that strengthened my expertise in cognitive and historical linguistics, corpus-based analysis, lexical tools, and early English texts, laying a solid foundation for the successful academic career I have pursued. He has similarly guided me after the completion of my PhD, and has been extremely helpful in the development of my professional career in academia, helping me with grant proposals, research projects, and job applications, among others” (Fran).

“The main purpose of my doctoral thesis was to make Richard Perceval’s Bibliotheca Hispanica (1591) more accessible to the general reader and to the researcher. This first real work in the history of the teaching of Spanish in England, consisting of a grammar and a dictionary, was very important for the Spanish-English grammatical and lexicographical tradition, but until now it was not fully accessible, mainly because of the difficulties involved in understanding the English language of the late sixteenth century due, above all, to its great orthographic variation, the absence of adequate punctuation and its complex syntax. Having brought it back to light, it is now easier and more intelligible for anyone who wishes to get to know this philological jewel, not only of great linguistic value, but also of didactic, historical and ideological value. This thesis has helped me to carry out multidisciplinary studies related to a research topic that is little addressed by Hispanic philologists, perhaps because of the limitation of the English language and the lack of knowledge of the history of the English language. At the teaching level, I apply my knowledge in didactics and Spanish-English lexicography in related subjects, as well as I supervise undergraduate dissertations on this topic” (David).

“My time as Javier Díaz-Vera’s doctoral student was incredibly productive and marked a pivotal moment in my professional journey. In the summer of 2007, while searching for a PhD advisor, Javier was the one who immediately extended his hand to guide me through the arduous dream of becoming a university professor. He supported me in the often-overlooked but crucial task of filling out applications for initial funding from junior scholarships and grants. I was keen on focusing my thesis on historical multilingualism, and Javier wisely directed me towards what would become my research topic and the corpus of texts I would eventually analyse. He also had the bold, albeit initially daunting, idea of writing the entire dissertation in English. This decision significantly increased my research impact, allowing non-Spanish-speaking specialists in the field to engage with my work. Their recognition came in the form of panel invitations, as well as pats on the back and complimentary cups of sugar-free vanilla rooibos.

Javier also encouraged me to explore all facets of academia. This led to opportunities to organise and attend conferences and meetings, where I met scholars I admired and realised that these so-called big names were just as approachable as anyone else.

Earning my Doctorate in Philological Studies with a European Mention in late 2013, which was later awarded a Prize for Excellence by the University of Castilla-La Mancha, opened doors for a three-year lectureship from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. This role allowed me to teach languages and promote multilingualism at the tertiary level in an English-speaking country like the Philippines. In summary, without Javier’s guidance, mentorship, and even friendship, I would not be the Assistant Professor I am today” (José Miguel).

“The focus of my thesis research was sociolinguistics, specifically the study of bilingualism (French-English) in Ontario, Canada. Javier Diaz-Vera effectively guided me in selecting the theoretical framework for this study, as well as the data analysis model. Later, he continued to advise me in the field of cognitive linguistics, particularly in conceptual metaphor theory” (Maite).

“I wrote my doctoral thesis on Old English verbs prefixed with locative particles under the supervision of Professor Javier E. Díaz-Vera. My research aimed at creating lexical entries for these verbs within a semantic-cognitive framework. Under Prof. Díaz-Vera’s guidance, I acquired deep knowledge of historical linguistics, language conceptualisation and lexicographic practice, from which I still regularly draw valuable insights and apply them in my teaching practice as a foreign language teacher” (Carlota).