1. Why did you choose the IBEI Master’s in International Relations?

I chose IBEI because of its international environment and innovative approach to IR. The focus on Latin America and its location in Barcelona were key determinants of my choice. I came to IBEI in the framework of the Mundus Mapp Programme. A 2 years master programme of excellence funded by the European Union. In my first year, I was in the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague while in my second year, I was at IBEI. 

2. What is your experience at IBEI?

It has been one of the most life-rewarding experiences I have ever had. I arrived in a very young institution with a very energizing teaching staff that everyday motivated and expanded my way of thinking. The proximity of the teachers and the cohesiveness of my class were important elements that enriched my experience. The master offered me the opportunity to meet amazing people with very different backgrounds and ways of thinking.

3. Describe your career path since graduating from the IBEI.

After finishing the MA, I started a career in the academia. I particularly focused on urban topics regarding immigrants and ethnic minorities, as well, as public policy in the EU. Thanks to the internship program IBEI has, I was selected as a research assistant in the Latin American Programme at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB). After this experience, I started a Ph.D. in Political Sciences at the Pompeu Fabra University. In 2016 I defended my thesis on the political participation of immigrants in urban settings. As the prodigal son, I came back to IBEI to become a post-doctoral researcher in the EU project Transcrisis.

4. What is your professional experience (your current position, your main functions)?

I am currently a Juan de la Cierva post-doctoral fellow at IBEI. My current position includes developing my own research project which is based on understanding the role of state and non-state actors in providing services to refugee population in cities. I am particularly interested in those local contexts where refugees and immigrants have been politicized through national reactive policies and discourses. In parallel to this position, I also work for the Transcrisis project. This is an EU funded project that seeks to understand how prepared from a public policy perspective EU institutions are to manage different crises. For instance, how to deal with a food crisis, the outbreak of a deadly bacteria or a new financial crisis. I also teach a course on immigration policies at IBEI.

5. How did the master programme prepare you for the work you're doing now?

It gave me a structured view of different social problems our societies suffer. It also helped me to use theories and concepts as the lens to understand why political actors mobilize in a way or another in the global scenario.

6. Is this more or less what you pictured yourself doing after the master programme?

Yes, I have a natural curiosity to understand why things happen and why human beings when in power do certain things and not others. Curiosity as my driving force made me channel my energies in studying the world and its problems.

7. What advice would you give to current students who want to follow this career path? / Some advice to future IBEI students?

If you like research, talk to everyone who is already in the academic world. Go to conferences or talks which are related to your topic of interest and read a lot about it. Also, invest in learning how to communicate your ideas effectively. Writing is a central part of the research process; hence, reading from academic authors, learning how they structure their thoughts and writing your own ideas are excellent starting points.

8. What do you miss most about the IBEI?

I feel very fortunate to continue at IBEI, now as a researcher and teacher. My colleagues have outstanding professional and human qualities that make me enjoy every day I am in the Institute. However, I miss the year I spent as a student in the old building in Elisabets Street. I had fantastic classmates; some of them became my best friends. The coffee breaks in between classes to discuss the latest developments in the world news or some incredible information we just learned in a class. I also miss the social life built around the class. I miss the building located in the historic neighbourhood of El Raval. Although the new facilities are much more modern and bigger and they are conveniently located in the Pompeu Fabra University campus; the charm of walking along the old part of town to go to school is a memory I cherish.