This page is modified every summer to reflect changes in the roster of current faculty members. It is alphabetized by professor last name.
Prof. David Caro
Media, Film, and Pop Culture in Spain
Prof. Caro is from Madrid. During his last year of university, he volunteered with the U.S. programs at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. There, he came into contact with many students with different, wonderful, and enriching viewpoints about life, academics, and the whole world. Since then, he has worked for several U.S. university programs in Spain and, since 2015, with the Academic Office of Syracuse Madrid. Here, he has also led informational sessions and coordinated several intercultural activities. After obtaining his Ph.D., he has taught sociology and Spanish language and literature at Syracuse Madrid and at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. He enjoys teaching and assisting students during their time abroad because he strongly believes that traveling and becoming familiar with different cultures and ways of life is a great way to mature and understand our changing and challenging world.
Degrees
Ph.D., Spanish literature – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Máster, Italian literature – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Licenciatura, Spanish philology – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Licenciatura, Italian philology – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Patricia Espinosa
Art History
Patricia Espinosa has taught at the undergraduate university level since 2005 for Syracuse Madrid, American University, and USAC (University Study Abroad Consortium). At Syracuse Madrid, she has taught several art history courses.
Degrees
Licenciatura, art history – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
Prof. José Miguel Fernández Dols
Psychology
Prof. Fernández Dols is a full professor of psychology at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and has taught many different courses during his academic career. He is particularly interested in four disciplines: social psychology, political psychology, cross-cultural psychology, and emotion. For the last 10 years, Dr. Fernández Dols has taught social psychology and political psychology to European undergraduate students, cross-cultural psychology to U.S. undergraduate students, and emotion to graduate students at universities in both sides of the Atlantic.
Dr. Fernández Dols’ research focuses on facial expression and everyday conceptions of emotion in different cultures. He is also interested in the study of societal problems related to justice, social norms, and moral behavior.
Degrees
Ph.D., Psychology – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
Licenciatura, Psychology – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
Licenciatura, Philosophy – Universidad de Valencia.
Mónica Pérez-Bedmar
Biology
Mónica Pérez-Bedmar holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in oceanography and coastal zone management and is at present pursuing her doctorate in ecology. She lived in the United States for more than 10 years working in and collaborating with several environmental agencies dedicated to the protection of coastal areas. Mónica has taught oceanography and environmental science in several U.S. university programs in Spain for several years. She conducts field research and field trips with students often and has collaborated with several research projects in the environmental field. In addition, Mónica is a certified diver and sailing instructor and is an avid nature explorer.
Degrees
M.S., coastal zone management – Florida Institute of Technology
B.S., biological oceanography – Florida Institute of Technology
María Teresa Viñuelas
Spanish language
Coordinator, Spanish Language Program
Supervisor, Internship and Service Learning Program
Since 1991, María Teresa Viñuelas has taught Spanish language and linguistics at Syracuse Madrid to undergraduate students at all Spanish levels. She was first a lecturer, and later, the director of the Mare Nostrum Signature Seminar. She has also directed the Roots and Routes and Spanish Identities Signature Seminars for Syracuse Madrid. Since 2005, she has served as supervisor of the Spanish Department and coordinator of internship and service learning.
Degrees
Máster, Teaching Spanish as a foreign language – Universidad de Alcalá, Spain.
Licenciatura, Spanish philology – Universidad de Alcalá, Spain.
Prof. Amalia Yrizar
History
Assistant Director, Syracuse Madrid
Prof. Yrizar has taught at the undergraduate university level since 2003, first as a TA at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and later as a lecturer at Syracuse University Madrid. At Syracuse Madrid, she has taught several history and political science courses, including the Imperium and Azahar Signature Seminars. As of 2008, she collaborates with a graduate program at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
In 2005, Prof. Yrizar became the assistant to the Director for Academic Affairs, and in 2011, she was named Assistant Director of the Syracuse Madrid program.
Degrees
Ph.D., History – Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
Licenciatura, Library and Information science – Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
Licenciatura, Early modern and modern history – Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.
Spanish degrees
Máster – One to two-year postgraduate degree.
Licenciatura – Five-year undergraduate degree.
Grado – Four-year undergraduate degree.
Diplomatura – Three-year undergraduate degree.