Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies

What do these two have in common?

They are both LLILAS alumni who now lead major programs in Latin American Studies.

You know our own director, Adela Pineda Franco. Beside her is Néstor Castañeda (MA LLILAS, 2007; PhD in Political Science, University of Pittsburgh), who is currently a Professor of Political Economy and director of the UCL Institute of the Americas in England.

LLILAS trains Latin Americanist scholars who go on to shape the next generation of Latin Americanists.

https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/52214-n%C3%A9stor-casta%C3%B1eda

This fall, study K'iche' online with Professor Manuela Tahay via UEX. Learn more and register here: https://extension.utexas.edu/first-year-kiche-maya-i-0

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Fall course alert!

College of Liberal Arts - University of Texas at Austin Department of Spanish and Portuguese at The University of Texas at Austin

Fall Course Explores Experiences of Conquest, Resistance, and Christianization among Highland Maya THIS FALL, students of Professor Sergio Romero will have a unique opportunity: to explore 16th- and 17th-century manuscripts written in the Kaqchikel language by both Indigenous scribes and by the Dominican and Franciscan friars charged with the Christianization of the Guatemalan highlands. The co...

There is a new installation at the LBJ Presidential Library featuring video clips of influential civic and community leaders. Among those highlighted is LLILAS alumna Cristina Tzintzún, whose career in the nonprofit sector and local politics has centered on community advocacy and public engagement.

Her inclusion in the installation reflects the significant contributions she has made throughout her career and serves as a reminder of the important role LLILAS alumni continue to play in civic leadership and public service. Visit the exhibit! https://www.lbjlibrary.org/ Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez

LLILAS currently has five faculty calls online. View them here: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/llilas/calls.html

• Faculty Seed Grant for Interdisciplinary Research (2026–27)
• Publication Production Course Award (2026–27)
• Faculty Course Release Program (2027–28)
• Tinker Visiting Professorship Nominations (2027–28)
• Visiting Resource Professor Nominations (2027–28)

College of Liberal Arts - University of Texas at Austin

Alumni Spotlight

Te invitamos a conocer a Leticia Aparicio Soriano, profesora de la Escuela Nacional de Trabajo Social de la UNAM e investigadora especializada en derechos de los pueblos indígenas.

Leticia es originaria del pueblo nahua de la región de Tehuacán, Puebla, y en 2011 obtuvo la Maestría en Estudios Latinoamericanos.

Su trayectoria académica y compromiso con la investigación contribuyen al fortalecimiento y la visibilización de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas en México. https://elnuevograficodehidalgo.com.mx/2025/09/2025-ano-de-la-mujer-indigena-originaria-del-pueblo-nahua-de-la-region-del-valle-de-tehuacan-puebla-leticia-aparicio-soriano/

[Español abajo] LLILAS and the Benson Latin American Collection were honored to host the Honorable Roberto Lazzeri Montaño, newly appointed Ambassador of Mexico to the United States, and Consul General Humberto Hernández Haddad, along with UT Austin leadership and other esteemed guests, for a conversation about the university’s role in advancing U.S.–Mexico collaboration.

The visit highlighted the vital role of research, education, and cultural exchange in addressing shared challenges, creating opportunities, and strengthening partnerships between our two nations.

LLILAS y la Colección Latinoamericana Nettie Lee Benson tuvieron el honor de recibir al nuevo Embajador de México en Estados Unidos Roberto Lazzeri Montaño, el Consul General Humberto Hernández Haddad, miembros del liderazgo de la Universidad de Texas en Austin y otros estimados invitados, para una conversación sobre el papel de la universidad en la colaboración entre México y Estados Unidos.

Su visita hizo destacar el papel importante de la investigación, la educación y el intercambio cultural entre nuestros países.

Embajada de México en Estados Unidos Consulado General de México en Austin College of Liberal Arts - University of Texas at Austin

We have great news to share: Our LLILAS alumna, Dr. Elizabeth O'Brien has been named Chair of the Latin American Studies M.A. Interdepartmental Program at UCLA.

Dr. O'Brien earned her M.A. in Latin American Studies here at LLILAS before going on to a distinguished career as an Associate Professor of the History of Medicine and Latin American History at UCLA. Her scholarship spans the history of fertility control, abortion, eugenics, and obstetric violence, as well as ideas about race and Indigeneity in medicine — work recognized with multiple national book prizes.

Congratulations, Dr. O'Brien — we can't wait to see how you shape the next generation of Latin Americanist scholars!

LLILAS is pleased to announce four current calls for affiliated faculty at UT Austin. Current open calls are:

• Faculty Seed Grant for Interdisciplinary Research (2026–27)
• Tinker Visiting Professorship Nomination (for 2027–28)
• Visiting Resource Professor Nomination (for 2027–28)
• Publication Production Cost Award (2026–27)

Find information here: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/llilas/calls.html

Alumni Spotlight

Meet Teresa Mioli , Program Manager for the U.S. Education and Outreach team at the Pulitzer Center.

She has a master’s degree in Latin American studies and a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. https://pulitzercenter.org/people/teresa-mioli