About

Dr Verónica Posada Álvarez is an urban researcher, lecturer, and designer whose interdisciplinary work connects research, creative practice, and public engagement to address urban transformation, migration, and social justice. She is Associate Researcher in Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of Derby and Visiting Research Fellow at UCL’s Urban Lab. Her research focuses on Latin American diasporas, cultural heritage, urban belonging, and participatory methodologies, demonstrating how research-led creative practice can strengthen community representation, inform policy, and shape inclusive urban futures. Her work has been supported by the British Academy and other competitive research funding schemes.

Research interests

• Beyond Gentrification: Latin American Market Tales in Seven Sisters, North London. Funded by the British Academy, University of Derby (2025- Ongoing). Principal Investigator.
• Urban Room for Community Planning. The Wards Corner Urban Room. ECR Development Fund, University of Derby (2026- Ongoing). Principal Investigator.
• Social Infrastructures Research Group. Research Growth Award Fund, University of Derby (2026- Ongoing). Core Team.
• Latin London Podcast. (2021-Ongoing). University of Westminster. Principal Investigator, Podcast editor and Designer.

Recent publications

Peer-reviewed and forthcoming journal articles

• Posada-Alvarez, V., & Román-Velázquez, P. (upcoming). Tropical Remittances: Latin American urbanism in London. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies.
• Posada-Alvarez, V. (upcoming). Latinas: The visual culture politics of Latin American women in London. Journal of Visual Studies.
• McMahon, D., Posada-Alvarez, V., & Giese, J. (2025). Voices Across the Airwaves: Gendered Memories of Sports Radio in the Irish Diaspora. Journal of Media Culture and Society.
• Gil Alzate, A., Castro Torres, F. A., & Posada Álvarez, V. (2020). Investigar la identidad de género: representaciones colectivas, comunicación y lenguaje. Anagramas — Rumbos y sentidos de la comunicación, 19(37), 87–109.
• Posada Álvarez, V. (2017). Fotografía y cambios urbanos: el caso de la comunidad latinoamericana en Londres. Artefacto Visual, Red de Estudios Visuales Latinoamericanos, 2(3), 80.

Doctoral thesis

• Posada-Alvarez, V. (2024). Latin London: Representation of Life in the Diaspora. The Latin American Community in London, 1970s Onwards (Doctoral dissertation, University of Westminster).

Book

• Posada Álvarez, V. (2020). Cartografía como herramienta sociopolítica para la comunicación gráfica. Colegiatura Colombiana Ed.

Public-facing and creative research outputs

• Latin London Podcast (2021–ongoing). University of Westminster. Principal Investigator, podcast editor and designer.
• UpRooted: Colombian Families and Exiles in the UK (2023). Institute of Arts and Humanities, University of Southampton, in partnership with Diaspora Women and Conciliation Resources, London. Co-Investigator, podcast editor and designer.
• Mapping Memories Research Project and Visualisation Platform for Latinxs in London (2016–2020). Cartography, archives, collage and design.

Membership of professional bodies

• Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies UCL (2025-2026)
• Visiting Research Fellow UCL Urban Lab (2026- Ongoing)
• Associate Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy
• British Academy Early Career Researcher Network
• Colfuturo PhD Funding, Talent that Transforms (2019 - 2024). Colombia
• Funding PhD Sapiencia (2018). Colombia
• Speculative Worlds Research Collective. UCL (2024- Ongoing). London
• The Wards Corner Benefit Society, collaborator (2024- Ongoing). London
• Change Makers Programme LAWA (Latin American Women’s Aid), (2023- Ongoing). London

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy - CREAM Research Centre in Education, Arts and Media, School of Arts, University of Westminster, London (2018-2023). Thesis title: “Latin London: A life in the diaspora. Representation, Diaspora and the Latin American Community in London. –1970s onwards” Supervised by: Dr Margherita Sprio and Professor David Bate
• MA Arts and Visual Culture (Distinction). School of Humanities, University of Westminster, London (2016-2017)
• BA Graphic Design (Distinction). School of Architecture and Design, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia (2010-2014)
• Certificate in Communication and Creative Methodologies for Teaching
• Colegiatura Colombiana, Medellín, Colombia (2018-2019)

Recent conferences

• Talk 'Beyond Gentrification Latin American Market Tales'. AMPS Liveble Cities, Manchester, 2026.
• Talk 'Beyond Gentrification the Seven Sisters Market'. RGS, London, 2026.
• Talk, Panel ‘Mapping Latinx Studies: Arts, Literature and Culture in the US and the UK’. ‘From Abya Yala to Latin London: A Woman-made Community, SLAS CONFERENCE 2025, University of Bristol
• Talk, Visibility for Latin London, Homelands Knowledge Exchange (Hub for Migration, Exiles, Languages and Spaces) (2024). University of Westminster, London
• Talk entitled A Diaspora is a Spore, Arts-Based Research. Una diáspora es una espora, investigación creación (2023). Creative Participatory Research with the Latin American Community in the UK. University of Reading
• Talk, Latin London Memories, Conference on Migration and Diaspora, Homelands (Hub for Migration, Exiles, Languages and Spaces) (2023). University of Westminster, London
• Talk, Community for Social Change Podcast Latin London: A life in the diaspora: Collective tools for social justice and human development. 9th Explorations in Ethnography, Language and Communication Conference (2023). IOES, UCL, London

Experience in industry

• Graphic Design, Museography and Data Visualisation. Some Projects and Clients: UCL Geography, Professor Ayona Datta project Digitising the Periphery, CREAM (Research Centre in Education Arts and Media, University of Westminster), PICUM (Platform for the rights of undocumented migrants in Europe), LAWA (Latin American Women’s Aid) LAWRS (Latin American Women’s Right Service), University of Twente,  and Latin Elephant
• Podcast UpRooted, Colombian Families and Exiles in the UK, Institute of Arts and Humanities, University of Southampton, Diaspora Women and Conciliation Resources (2023), London
• Podcast Latin London, the life of Latin Americans in London, University of Westminster, Arts-Based Research Project (2021-Ongoing), London
• Workshops for Diaspora Women Collective, Communication and Creativity for Peace Making, University of Reading, Diaspora Women and Conciliation Resources (2022), London
• Photography in Virtual Culture Conference Podcast CREAM (Centre for Research in Education, Arts and Media) (2024), London
• Podcast Beyond the Bassline, British Library. REAM (Centre for Research in Education, Arts and Media) (2024), London
• Mapping Memories. Research Tool and Visualisation Platform for Latinxs in London (2016-2018). Cartography, Archives, Collage and Design
• Associate Lecturer, Colegiatura Colombiana de Diseño, Medellín, Colombia (2017-2021)
• Full-time Communications, Museography and Design, Communications Department. Museum of Antioquia (2013-2015), Medellín, Colombia

International experience

• Lecturer and Researcher in Design, Media, History and Communication (2017- 2021). Colegiatura. Medellín, Colombia
• Contemporary Sociocultural Theories (2017- 2019). Colegiatura Colombiana. Medellín, Colombia 
• Design for Final Project, Dissertation Module (2018- 2021). Colegiatura. Medellín, Colombia
• Design History (2018- 2021). Colegiatura Colombiana de Diseño. Medellín, Colombia
• Research Seminar Coordinator, Aesthetics and The City (2018-2019). Colegiatura. Medellín, Colombia

Additional interests and activities

Funding obtained:

• British Academy Small Research Grant 2025 SRG25\250898
• GER Globally Engaged Research University of Westminster
• Colfuturo PhD Funding
• Sapiencia PhD Funding