‌Could you tell us a little bit about your background? Did you always know that you were interested in history? Or was there a moment when you realized you had a passion for the past?

I had what one could consider to be a somewhat unusual upbringing back in Mexico. One of my aunts is an archaeologist and, since I was a kid, I grew up among beautiful Mesoamerican imagery, pottery and excavation reports, roaming around the pyramids and archaeological sites in summer, and listening to the stories of exploration and historical wonders my aunt used to tell me. At the same time my parents, being physicists, encouraged me to experiment and question why things were the way they are, and I spent much of my time in the amazing labs of the Institute of Physics at the national university. I think this led me to the realisation when I was becoming a young adult that I really loved two things: the past and technology. I’ve been lucky enough to combine both through Digital Humanities.

You work connects archaeology to a relatively new field called digital humanities. Could you tell us a bit more about digital humanities and how it can transform our understanding of the past?

In short, digital humanities, or DH as we usually call it, is the application of theories and methods from computer science to solve research questions in the humanities (e.g. in history, archaeology, or literature, among others). This is to say that we can make use of really interesting computational approaches, such as Artificial Intelligence, to help us in the analysis of the past. For instance, in my research, I’m ‘teaching’ the computer to automatically identify historical concepts of interest to me in very large historical collections, analysing patterns in a Big Data style. What this means in practice is that, for the very first time, we are able to explore and identify information that can help us with our research in a fraction of time, looking through thousands of records that otherwise would take us a lifetime to explore. And this is only one of the innovative uses of technology in history that we are developing. Virtual reconstructions, 3D scanning, and advanced spatial technologies are some of the things we do at Lancaster.

Have a look at some of the projects taking place at the intersection of DH and history:

• Digging into Early Colonial Mexico
• The Slave Voyages Database
• WWI Streets of Mourning

What's the topic you most enjoy teaching? What makes it special for you and your students?

Within DH, I specialise in the study of landscape, space, and place using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). You can think of GIS as a Google Maps on steroids. Technologies such as this one can be really important to learn because history and archaeology are spatial in nature. This is to say that we are interested in questions of ‘when’ and ‘who’, as much as in issues of ‘where’ - or how geographies might play a role in historical events. GIS is a powerful technology that is used in many industries, so I truly love when my students realise that they are acquiring an important skill that can help to land them a job! In addition, I encourage my students to be highly creative in their use of technologies. This year, our students had brilliant GIS projects. For instance, one of them explored the narratives of American Psycho, while another looked at the possible uses of mapping to investigate the presence of black Africans in Early Modern England!

You also work on the history of Mexico, especially its indigenous culture before and after the Spanish colonization. Why do you think it's important for students to study this topic?

Because imperial knowledges - and related exclusive and oppressive views - are still embedded in the modern world, studying subaltern and alternative accounts in History is of utmost importance. Acknowledging and understanding the existence of different world-views and epistemologies is what might lead us someday to more equal societies. The arrival of the Spanish brought a great deal of destruction and oppression, as well as a different world-view to America (and by America I mean the continent!). Traditional and colonial understandings of history have taught that the Spanish ‘conquered’ in technological, social, political and economic ways the Indigenous civilizations. However, these 'conquered' peoples were not the passive actors that they have often been assumed to be. Most of accounts have considered the Spanish side, but there is a wealth of information produced by Indigenous societies that has barely been explored, and it has been only in the past few years that other interpretations have started to emerge.

I’m interested in the events of the 16^th century because this is the time when the contact between these two very different world-views take place. The Indigenous societies certainly adopted and adapted western conceptions and technologies, but they also contested and challenged them. It takes just a look at the incredible maps of the Relaciones Geográficas (the Geographic Reports of New Spain) to get a sense of how Mesoamerican civilizations used and combined European and Indigenous understandings of space, creating new discourses that are alive still today. Historians and archaeologists have the power to bring these alternative narratives to the forefront, but also to provide a better understanding of past dynamics and how to change them.

#decolonise #blacklivesmatter #brownlivesmatter

We'd love to hear more about your journey into history. What would you say is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get where you are today?

At an academic level, the biggest challenge for me was to find people I could dream ‘crazy’ projects with. This is to say, to imagine research that could combine unusual views and approaches that have never been attempted before. I started to encounter like-minded people during my postgraduate studies, but I found these really creative and unusual partnerships when I first started working at Lancaster as an Early Career Researcher.

At a personal level, I think my biggest challenge has been to overcome damaging ideas about myself. Growing up I felt great pressure to do well at everything I attempted. There is in me a sort of Latin American mentality that states that in order to ‘make it’, you have to work harder than anyone else. Although one might think that this can be an advantage, it actually provokes a constant state of anxiety for ‘not being good enough’, which was really difficult to shake off. That’s why I love to engage with students not only in academic terms, but also at a more human level. I know the anxieties and expectations that being at university can bring, but also how, with the right support, you can thrive.

And what's the thing you love most about your research?

I think there are two things that immediately come to mind. The first is the process of discovery. I enjoy immensely taking an idea, a hypothesis or a research question and attempting to solve it, whatever the answer might be. The second is interdisciplinarity. I love to work with people that bring different perspectives to my own. To learn from others is one of the most rewarding things about my research, and the process of building knowledge together is really exciting to me.

"Undergoing the MA programme is an independent endeavour, markedly different from the structure provided by the History BA. There's a lot more autonomy with things such as choosing your own essay questions and managing a sparser timetable.

Apart from the core History module, I have only had 'Introduction to Latin Translation for Historians' so far, which I have really enjoyed. As [this module] is exam based, it is quite a reprieve from an otherwise essay-heavy programme and it is really rewarding to see where you're getting things correct.

The highlight of the MA programme has been getting involved in the History postgrad community through events such as the fortnightly PGSem [Seminar Series] and the Lancaster Historical Postgraduate Conference (LHPC). While an MA is more intense, it doesn't mean you can't get involved in extracurriculars; outside of History I am part of the Swing Dance Society. Lancaster's history postgrad community is quite close knit. It's definitely a good idea to put yourself out there because you'll make good friends and receive academic support and advice from people who have been in your shoes.

Because most of my modules take place next term, I'm pretty much looking forward to everything!

But I am especially looking forward to completing my placement assisting with Lancaster LitFest as part of the 'Outreach, Heritage, and Public History Placement' module."

1. What drew you to study history at university? And why did you end up choosing Lancaster?

I have always known that I wanted to study history at university. Since I was young, I have always been fascinated by the past, and when it came to deciding my degree, it was clear that I wanted to take this further. I visited a lot of universities and their history departments, but I was most impressed by the friendly and welcoming nature of Lancaster’s staff. I was also attracted by the department's broad range of subjects and modules, particularly the opportunity to study ancient history, as I had not had this opportunity in school or sixth form. That and Lancaster’s climbing wall: I can’t deny that the university climbing wall was a major factor in swinging my choice towards Lancaster!

2. What was it like when you started your history degree? What surprised you most? And what was your most memorable experience?

Studying history at university is a big step up from sixth form or college. Suddenly you are living away from your family, in a new city and faced with a completely different kind of learning environment from what you’re used to. Because of this, it’s easy to be overwhelmed in the first months of your degree as you come to grips with university life and independent learning, but by the time you get through the first couple of weeks, you'll be plain sailing.

The most surprising aspect of my degree was discovering the sheer number of resources on offer from the university library and digital collections. I would definitely recommend anybody starting their degree to have a really good explore of the resources on offer before beginning their own research.

I have had many memorable experiences as a result of my degree, from spending a month in Greece with the British School at Athens to completing my dissertation in the middle of a pandemic. But my most memorable experience was the first lecture I had on ancient Greece during my first university term. This lecture introduced me to the joy of studying the ancient world, and it has profoundly influenced my academic interests since.

3. After finishing your first degree, you stayed on at Lancaster to complete an MA in Digital Humanities? How did studying history prepare you to take this step?

I think that my history degree left me well prepared for a move into digital humanities. As a result of my first degree, I had a solid grounding in my historical subject matter, and I had developed the basic skills needed to research and write about the past. This meant that when it came to my MA, I did not have to devote too much time to covering the same ground. As such, I spent most of my MA studies exploring the broader field of digital humanities and getting to grips with the technologies used.

4. Since completing your degree, you have taken up a position as a GIS analyst with Arup. Could you tell us about what your job entails?

In short, my job entails using GIS (geographical information systems) technology and my wider digital humanities skillset to help fulfil Arup’s projects. For example, my tasks can range from visualising project data on maps to compiling spatial databases and performing spatial analysis. I also spend quite a lot of time researching and collating information (and data) for use in current and future spatially orientated projects.

5. Do you think completing your studies in history at Lancaster has helped you to prepare for your current career? If so, how?

I believe that my studies at Lancaster have left me very well prepared for my current career. My undergraduate degree in history has helped me develop the researching, referencing, writing, problem-solving, communication, attention to detail and project management skills that you would expect from a humanities graduate. The skills developed throughout a history degree are essential to almost every aspect of a successful professional career, and as such, they are incredibly sought after in the current job market.

Alongside my undergraduate degree, my MA in Digital Humanities has prepared me for my current role. Lancaster’s MA in Digital Humanities introduced me to, and provided me with, a solid foundation in geospatial technologies. Whilst there is always more to learn when it comes to GIS, and I am receiving further training as part of my new role, I would not have this job without my MA in Digital Humanities.

6. What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your footsteps?

My time at Lancaster was a great experience. I recommend studying history at Lancaster to anybody interested in broadening their knowledge of the past or those wanting to gain some invaluable skills to boost their employability. There is plenty of help and guidance on offer throughout your studies on how to get the most out of your degree.

To those considering an MA in Digital Humanities but who might be put off by the technical aspect of the MA, don't worry at all! It is expected that when you start the MA you will only have the standard technical skills of any humanities graduate. By the end of the MA in Digital Humanities, you will not only have a solid understanding of an array of state-of-the-art digital technologies but also how to use many of these technologies in practical, real-world applications.