News and Events | Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Virtual Open House on October 30: Explore Our Graduate Studies Program

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese at UC Santa Barbara invites prospective graduate students to a Virtual Open House on October 30 at 10 am (Pacific Time) via Zoom. This session will feature current graduate students and alumni who will share their experiences and insights about academic life at UC Santa Barbara and beyond.

Distinguished Professor Antonio Cortijo and PhiloBiblon Team Awarded the Prestigious II Premio Internacional del Hispanismo

On September 25, 2026, PhiloBiblon, the foundational digital database dedicated to medieval Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, and Galician literatures, was awarded the II Premio Internacional del Hispanismo (II International Hispanism Prize) at the historic Palacio Duques de Soria in Soria, Spain. The award was presented by His Majesty King Felipe VI. PhiloBiblon is directed by a dedicated international team of scholars that includes Department of Spanish and Portuguese Distinguished Professor Antonio Cortijo Ocaña, alongside the late Professor Harvey L. Sharrer, whose pioneering contributions to medieval Iberian literature continue to shape the field.

Promotional poster for the inaugural ceremony of the Instituto Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, September 23, 2026. Image credit: Courtesy of Instituto Sor Juana.

Inauguration of the Instituto Sor Juana

The Instituto Sor Juana, directed by Sara Poot Herrera of UCSB’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese, will celebrate its inauguration on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Mark Taper Auditorium of the Los Angeles Public Library.

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.

Distinguished Professor 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, Distinguished Professor 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).