Our team of Novice Researchers features all the preservice teachers who join LSLP while pursuing their bachelor's degrees. This is the initial stage of research training at LSLP. Here, they learn about qualitative research and literacies while actively participating in the projects form the Community Literacies in L2 research line.  Through the Novice Researchers, LSLP can continue its collaboration with our university's research education structure.

Meet our current Novice Researchers:

ELIZABETH AGUDELO (Effy)

Effy is pursuing her B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. She joined LSLP in the second semester of 2016. A music enthusiast and performer, she is a member of #TeamUL3, specifically interested in the intersection between music fandom and English literacies.

JHON ARREDONDO (Jay)

Jay is pursuing his B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. He joined LSLP in the second semester of 2016. He has brought his background as a drummer and a member of the Medellín Music Band Network to #TeamUL3, where he is inquiring about the role of English in local music bands.

In addition to his research duties, Jay is a member of Instantes, a band from a group of students at UPB, including some from our BA in English-Spanish Education.

YULY CÁRDENAS (Yuly)

Yuly is pursuing her B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. She joined LSLP in the second semester of 2016. As a member of #TeamUL3, she is inquiring about the different language exchange communities that have risen in the city.

CARLOS GAVIRIA (The Real Slim Shady)

Charlie is pursuing his B.A in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. He joined LSLP at the beginning of February, 2017 as a member of #TeamLaV. He is currently exploring issues of gaming and identity as part of our gaming project. In addition, he is a K-Pop and Anime aficionado, topics where he is also doing inquiries at LSLP in issue related to digital literacies in second languages.

MICHAEL HERNANDEZ (T-Dwayne)

Michael is pursuing his B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. He joined LSLP in 2014 as a member of #TeamLaV. After doing his English student teaching in Egypt, Michael is still helping with our gaming literacies research line, specifically proposing ideas related to gamification as a means to connect English and pedagogy for the purpose of developing stronger proposals to teach English in schools.

Besides his interest in research, Mike is also a basketball player. He joined the university basketball team and combines his duties with LSLP with his practice (yes, we're talkin' 'bout PRACTICE) with the team.

ANA MARÍA HERRERA (Ana)

Ana is pursuing her B.A in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. She joined LSLP in 2017 as a member of #TeamUL3. Her specific topic of inquiry deals with the intersection between English and comics communities in Medellín. 

JULIÁN LONDOÑO (Ready Player One)

Julián is pursuing his B.A in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. He joined LSLP at the end of 2017 and became a member of #TeamLaV shortly after. Julian's relationship with gaming is very special: He is a competitive gamer, with plenty of experiences (and fans, as we learned in August 2018, hence his nickname!) in Colombia and abroad. Julián has contributed this wealth of experiences to the new avenues our research has take in the new phase of inquiry.

JUAN CAMILO MAZO (Camilo)

Juan Camilo is pursuing his B.A in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. He joined LSLP during the second semester of 2018 as a member of #TeamLaV, where he is already finding ways to use his gaming background to help us expand our research.

SANTIAGO MEJÍA (Santi)

Santiago is a very particular case in the SRG: He is the only researcher in the team who is not in Education. He is a double-major in Social Communication-Journalism and Psychology. Although he joined LSLP in the second semester of 2018, he already has plenty of research background, as he was previously a co-researcher under Dr. Golovátina-Mora's tutelage. As a member of #TeamLaV, he is very interested in issues of gaming and identity, as well as autoethnography as an approach to study gaming experiences.

ANA MARÍA URREGO-ZAPATA (Annie)

Annie is pursuing her B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. She joined LSLP in August, 2016 as a member of #TeamUL3. Annie's interest in this project are twofold: On the one hand, she is exploring issues around language exchange communities in Medellín. On the other hand, she is very interested in looking at issues of sign language and literacy (she is able to communicate in Colombian Sign Language)

HELENA YEPES (Helena Zor-El)

Helena is pursuing her B.A. in English-Spanish Education at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín. She rejoined to LSLP and #TeamUL3 in July after an intial stint in 2016. Now that she's back to the Legion, she will continue her inquiries around the links between English literacies and comics, taking advantage of her vast knowledge of the comics/Freaky communities in the city.

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Former LSLP researchers

Since we began in 2012, we have had the privilege of having very committed researchers. Some of them have left the project due to personal reasons or because they wished to pursue their own research agendas. Regardless of their decisions, their participation in LSLP, whether for a few months or several years, made our proposal stronger and they will always have our gratitude and appreciation for daring to dream big with us. We can only wish all of them the best of luck on the new routes their research leads them to.