News and Events | Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Sediment/o: A Solo Exhibition by Omar Pimienta

Omar Pimienta presents Sediment/o, a solo exhibition at Long Beach City College exploring the Tijuana River and the cultural, political, and environmental histories embedded in its landscape. Working across photography, video, installation, text, and poetry, Sediment/o examines the river and its watershed as a transborder landscape shaped by human intervention, infrastructure, memory, and sociopolitical forces.

Dr. Sara Poot-Herrera Awarded the 'Medalla al Mérito' by Universidad Veracruzana

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese is thrilled to announce that our esteemed colleague, Dr. Sara Poot-Herrera, has been awarded the 'Medalla al Mérito Universidad Veracruzana' in its national category.

Latin American Literature Graduate Research Panel

Join us for the 2026 Latin American Literature Graduate Research Panel: Nature and History, a space to hear graduate students from SPAN 294A-B present their exciting research on literature, nature, and history in Latin America and beyond. The panel will take place on Friday, March 13, from 2:00–4:00 pm, in the Spanish and Portuguese Library/Media Room, Phelps Hall (4th Floor).

Event "Speaking in Tongues / Hablando en Lenguas: A Bilingual Poetry Reading and Conversation"

We warmly invite everyone to join us for Speaking in Tongues / Hablando en Lenguas: A Bilingual Poetry Reading and Conversation, featuring poets Minerva Reynosa (Monterrey, México) and Aideed Medina (Salinas, California), on March 5, 2026, from 5:00–7:00 pm in the McCune Conference Room (6020 Humanities and Social Sciences Building) at UC Santa Barbara.

First Meeting of the Spanish Book Club

Join us for the Spanish Book Club, a welcoming space to read and discuss Spanish-language literature while connecting with others who share a love of books, culture, and thoughtful conversation. The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 26, from 6:00–7:30 pm, in Phelps Hall 4332 (4th Floor).

Event "Leap into Languages: Global Voices, Global Perspectives"

Join faculty from each UC Santa Barbara language department to discover how language studies open doors to unique academic pathways and diverse career opportunities. Explore how multilingual skills can expand your global perspective and enhance your professional future on February 25, 2026, from 4:30-6:00 pm in Library Room 1312.

Talk “De Tokio a Jalisco y de ahí al norte: lugar, literatura norteña y escrituras de lo fantástico femenino” by Professor Fukumi Nihira

We invite you to an upcoming talk hosted by our department, featuring Fukumi Nihira presenting “De Tokio a Jalisco y de ahí al norte: lugar, literatura norteña y escrituras de lo fantástico femenino” on February 23 at 1:00 pm in Phelps 4312.

Talk “Orphans of the Empire: Decolonization and Africa–Portugal Ruptures, Displacement, and the Identity of the ‘Retornados’" by Professor Patrícia Martinho Ferreira

Join us for a talk by Patrícia Martinho Ferreira from Brown University, “Orphans of the Empire: Decolonization and Africa–Portugal Ruptures, Displacement, and the Identity of the ‘Retornados,’” on Thursday, February 19, 3:30–5:00 pm, in Girvetz 2320.