Professor Omar García, BS, BA, MA, MSEd, PhD, PhD,
1926 Chair of Spanish
Professor García holds the 1926 Chair of Spanish. He is a Hispanist, who studies both Latin America & Spain, and a Comparatist, a published, award-winning poet and a human rights activist. He joined TCD in January 2020 with the specific remit of developing Latin American Studies.
Past Experience:
Before coming to TCD, Professor García had been at Queen Mary University of London (1992-2020), where he was Professor of Hispanic Studies and Comparative Poetics (1 October 2010-Jan. 2020); Reader in Poetics of Exile, Censorship and Cultural Resistance, 9/2007-9/2010; Dean for Taught Programmes (Undergraduate and Postgraduate), Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1 Sept. 2013-31 August 2016; and Deputy Dean for Taught Programmes (UG and PGT) (9/2011 to 31 August 2013).
He was Research Lead for the Modern Languages Unit of Assessment (Sept. 2018-Dec. 2019). Departmental Research Coordinator (2010-2013). Associate Director of Graduate Studies (Iberian and Latin American Studies), 2009-2013. Chair-PG-SEB-MSc in Mental Health (Transcultural Mental Healthcare and Psychological Therapies), Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2012-2014. REF [Research Excellence Framework] Lead in Iberian and Latin American Studies (2011-2013). Director of Taught Programmes (Undergraduate and Postgraduate)-School of Languages, Linguistics & Film (9/2011-8/2013). Chair-Degree Examination Board (BA) (5/2008-8/2013).
OTHER FACULTY, COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY LEVEL RESPONSIBILITIES that he held at QMUL: Sept. 2012-Aug 2016 Part of the College Senior Leadership Team, QMUL. 9/2011-8/2016 Ex officio member of the Faculty Executive, Humanities and Social Sciences. 2010-2016 Senate member, one of nine elected members of academic staff from the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences for the period 2010-14 and ex officio from 2013 to 2016. 2013-16 Chair, Dean for Taught Programmes Advisory Group (Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences). 2013-16 Chair, Marketing, Communications and Recruitment Groups (UG and PGT) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2013-16 Member, Deans for Taught Programmes Group. 2013-16 Member, MRAG (Marketing, Recruitment and Admissions Group). 2013-16 Member, Student Experience Advisory Board. 2013-16 Member, Life Sciences Group. 2013-16 Member, QM+ (VLE) Project Board. 9/2011-8/13 Member, Vice Principal (Teaching and Learning)'s Advisory Group. 9/2011-8/2016 Member, Heads of School Group, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2011-16 Member, Taught Programmes Board. 2011-16 Member, Taught Programmes Planning Group. 2011-16 Faculty Executive Member (Chair, as needed), Academic Staff Appointment Panels. 2010-2011 Programme and Module Approval Board, one of three nominated members of academic staff from the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. 2010 Member, College Programmes Committee. 9/2011-13 Member, Dean for Taught Programmes Advisory Group (Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences). 2011-2012 Chair (Humanities and Social Sciences), Drapers' Awards for Teaching. 2014-16 Member, Vice-Principal (Public Engagement and Student Enterprise) Advisory Group. 2014-16 Member, Partnership Development Group. 2014-16 Member, Partnerships Board. 2014-16 Member, Education Quality Board. 2014-16 Member, QMUL ADEPT Monitoring Group (Academic Development, Education and the Promotion of Teaching). 2014-16 Chair, Faculty ADEPT [Academic Development, Education and the Promotion of Teaching] Monitoring Group. 2013/14 Chaired and designed the Language Strategy for the College. 2014 Member, College Contingency Operational Group. 2013-14 Chair, Points-Based Scheme CPD [PBSCPD], Faculty Monitoring Group. 2013-14 Member, OFFA [Office for Fair Access], Access Monitoring Group. 2013-14 Member, SETLA [Student Experience; Teaching, Learning and Assessment] Survey Task and Finish Group. 2013-14 Member, Educational Partnerships Board. 2013 Chair, Faculty e-learning User Group. 2013 Member, Humanities and Social Sciences' Schools' Student Support Group. Member, Arts Faculty Board (2009-10, 2006-08 and 2002-04). 2000-2004 Member, Student Services Board.
Participation in External Review Teams and Service on external bodies as university representative:
QA Review of Spanish: Team Leader, Univ. of the West Indies, Barbados, April 2019 and March 2012. QMUL representative in the ULIP (Univ. of London in Paris) Review Group, 2013. 10/97-6/2000 Elected to Membership of the Academic Committee of the Univ. of London, Senate House. 8/8/97-8/99 Univ. of London appointment to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, UK, as representative of the Education Committee. 9/97-7/98 London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, UK, appointment as University representative to the Education Services Sub-Committee.
OTHER DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES (at QMUL): 2010-2013 Member, Research Policy Committee, School of Languages, Linguistics and Film (SLLF), and Graduate Studies sub-committee. 9/2011-2013 Chair, Teaching & Learning Committee, SLLF, [and Member (2010-11)]. 9/2011-2013 Ex officio member of the Executive Committee, SLLF. 2010-2013 Ex officio member (Senior Tutor first, then Dir. of Taught Programmes), Student Staff Liaison Committee. 1/2011-2013 Member, Teaching & Learning Sub-Committee, scrutiny and consideration for approval of all modules and programmes in SLLF. 2010-2011 Senior Tutor for all second-year students in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. 2009-2010 Senior Tutor for all first-year students in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. 2009-2010 Member, Graduate Studies and Research Committee, SLLF. 2007-08 Member, Comparative Literature Committee, School of Languages, Linguistics and Film. 2007-08 Chair, Working Party to establish new Degree Programmes in Catalan and Portuguese. 2006-2008 Admissions' Tutor for Hispanic Studies and all Combined degrees with Hispanic Studies. 2005-2006 Deputy Chair of Examiners, Subject Examination Board, School of Modern Languages. 2001-2003 Member, Standing Committee, School of Modern Languages. 2000-2003 Member, BA in Film Committee. 2000-2004 Year Abroad Coordinator for third-year students going to any Spanish speaking country in the world. 2000-2004 Member of the Year Abroad Committee. 2001-2003 Chairman, Hispanic Studies and Italian. 2001-2003 Member of the Standing Committee, School of Modern Languages. 1997-2000 Library Liaison Officer for Spanish Literature, XVIII c. - present. 1996-2000 Member, Students' Extenuating Circumstances Review Committee. 1995-2004 Departmental ERASMUS / SOCRATES coordinator. 1994-2004 Director of Studies and Advisor for Incoming European ERASMUS / SOCRATES students and US associates. 1995-2000 Senior Departmental Examiner (Departmental Chair of Examiners for Hispanic Studies & Italian), School of Modern Languages. 1992-2007 Member, Board of Examiners: MA in Modern European Studies.
Editorial Activities(refereed journals):
1993-present Member of the Editorial Committee of HRJ (Hispanic Research Journal).
Editor for submissions on Modern Peninsular, Latin American Drama and Poetry, Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, Caribbean and Central American Literature and Culture. (1993-99 the journal was published under the title: JHR (Journal of Hispanic Research)
2007- Member, Editorial and Advisory Board, Voces del Caribe: Revista de Estudios Caribeños.
2009-2013 Associate Editor of Crossings: Journal of Migration and Culture.