Figures behind the Figures: Dr Natalia Sobrevilla Perea

Each term I feature a different Kent award winner in the Research Services newsletter, looking at their research and discussing their career path and funding track record. I thought it would be worth adding these to the Blog. In February I featured Prof Adrian Podoleanu; today the spotlight falls on Dr Natalia Sobrevilla Perea, Reader in Hispanic Studies in the School of European Culture and Languages.

Dr Natalia Sobrevilla Perea

When I showed Dr Natalia Sobrevilla Perea a list of her applications and awards over the last seven years, she seemed genuinely shocked. ‘I’d forgotten about some of these,’ she said as she looked down the list, ‘but it does show that perseverance pays off.’

And how. Natalia, a Reader in Hispanic Studies, has put in 11 applications and got five awards, totalling almost £100,000. Her first two applications were unsuccessful, but she never gave up. ‘I had in mind a larger project, and submitted a series of applications to allow me to explore different facets of it.’

Her research, she laughingly admits, is focussed on an area ‘that nobody cares about’: nineteenth century Peru. The secret of her success has been her ability to ‘translate’ her interest to those outside the area, and demonstrate its relevance to wider history, policy, and culture. It’s a crucial skill for anyone putting together a funding application.