Ana María Rojo López

ANA Mª ROJO LÓPEZ is Full Professor in the Department of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Murcia. She is the Principal Investigator of the research group Translation, Didactics and Cognition (UM), and she actively participates in international research networks and initiatives such as the International Thematic Network in Empirical and Experimental Research and the Multilectal Mediated Cognition and Communication Laboratory. Her work sits at a clear crossroads: understanding what happens when we translate, which cognitive processes are involved, and why translation is not only a matter of words but also of mind, experience, and emotion. For this reason, her main research lines develop in the areas of translation and cognition and in research methodology, with a central focus on the role played by emotions and individual and personality factors—especially creativity—in the translation process. She is the author of the book Research Designs and Methods in Translation (Síntesis, 2013) and has published numerous academic works and volumes with leading national and international publishers and journals. Throughout her career, she has participated in several projects exploring the cognitive processes involved in linguistic communication and has led five competitively awarded, nationally funded research projects examining the influence of emotions on both the translation process and the translation product. In her three most recent projects, she has developed a research line with a strong social impact: assessing the emotional impact of audio description for people with visual impairments, in both film and the performing arts. The aim is clear: to help promote and improve a service that is essential for guaranteeing accessibility for this group and for moving towards a more open, inclusive, and shared cultural life. In addition to her research activity, she has played a significant role in academic and scientific leadership. She is a member of the University of Murcia’s Research Committee, has served as Deputy Director of the University of Murcia International Doctoral School (EIDUM), and was the first interim Head of the Department of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Murcia. She has also served as Coordinator of the University of Murcia’s Master’s in Translation for the Publishing Industry. Since 2020, she has been a panel officer for the Mind, Language and Thought Panel at the Spanish State Research Agency, and served as its Coordinator until 2025. Her commitment to public outreach is also reflected in her coordination of numerous science communication activities, her contributions of outreach articles to different platforms, and her participation in interviews for radio, television, and the press. In 2024, she received the University of Murcia Knowledge Transfer Award in the field of Humanities, in recognition of her outreach work.