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COMMUNICATION PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH

I study the psychophysiological effects of interpersonal and media communications, and the interference of cognitive biases in message processing. I work with a research group focused on the study of cognitive and sensorial responses to communication. Our goal is to detect behaviours affected by  different communication strategies, and to understand the cognitive process behind them. 

PUBLIC SPEAKING

I collaborate with individuals and entities to help them find their best voice and bring it to life. I participate in speaker trainer seminars and conferences to work on areas such as Prosody and Rhetorics. Understanding how our voice is perceived and processed is key to effective communication. 

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE & NEUROCOMMUNICATION

Businesses and advertising agencies benefit enormously from the advances in neurocommunication and emotional intelligence. I work with companies that wish to develop best practices for customer communication and staff engagement, including HR-related policies and Corporate Communications management. 

About me

I am an academic and consultant with a PhD in Communication, specialized in Neurocommunication and Emotional Intelligence. I have a Master's in Developmental Psychology, and a concentration on CBT and Existential Therapy from Oxford University, UK. I have worked as a professor in universities across Europe and the Middle East and have actively participated as a speaker and panelist at various conferences in these regions. Presently, I am an active collegiate member of the American Psychology Association and the Spanish Board of Developmental Psychologists.

As a consultant, I collaborate regularly with companies and institutions such as TED Conferences, where I use my expertise to assist speakers in refining their speech and communication skills. I have also organized non-profit initiatives such as SPRINTS, brought to Kuwait by TED and the Obama Foundation. Some of my articles and reports have been featured in prominent publications such as Foreign Policy, Time Magazine, and El País.

Beyond Academia, in 2022 I started running my private practice, Anima, which focuses on developmental psychology and mindfulness as a holistic approach. Through Anima, I am engaged in organizing seminars and professional retreats, and I serve as an honorary director for Care Collective, a non-profit association focused on bringing psychological support to underprivileged communities.

  • LinkedIn
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Companies

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TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

As a professor with a PhD in Communication but also from my experience as a graduate student myself, I believe that education should be a transformative experience that empowers students to become critical thinkers, effective communicators, and responsible global citizens.

 

My teaching philosophy is based on three main pillars: active learning, student-orientation, and inclusion.

Active learning is essential for student engagement and knowledge retention. I believe that students learn best by doing, so I incorporate a variety of active learning strategies in my classes, such as group discussions, case studies, role-playing exercises, and collaborative projects. By encouraging students to participate actively in the learning process, I aim to create an inclusive and dynamic classroom environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and intellectual exploration.

Student-orientation is another important aspect of my teaching philosophy. I believe that every student brings unique strengths, experiences, and perspectives to the classroom, and it is my responsibility as a teacher to detect and nurture those differences. I strive to create a safe and supportive learning environment that encourages students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from each other. I also provide individual feedback and guidance to help students develop their strengths and overcome their challenges.

Finally, inclusion is a fundamental value that guides my teaching practice. I believe that diversity in all its forms is a source of strength, and that education should be accessible to all students, regardless of their backgrounds or identities. I strive to incorporate diverse voices and perspectives in my teaching materials, and to create opportunities for students to engage with diverse communities and cultures.

RESEARCH GROUPS AND POSITIONS

Positions and projects I contribute to:

February 2017- September 2019

MASS MEDIA VISITING PROFESSOR - OBERTA UNIVERSITY OF CATALONIA

Visiting professor at the Mass Media department of the Oberta University of Catalonia, with a focus on Journalism and Communication Perceptions.

June 2015 - June 2021

INSTRUCTOR -  AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY OF KUWAIT

Responsible for curriculum development and teaching of the units "Business Communication" and "Emotional Intelligence and Leadership".

September 2018 - Present

PSYCHOLOGY MEDIA LAB RESEARCHER - POMPEU FABRA UNIVERSITY BARCELONA

I am a research fellow at the University Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona, where I designed and conducted the perceptive and psychophysiological study of cognitive bias-based communication strategies during personnel selection processes.  Read more here.

August 2021 - Present

ADJUNCT FACULTY - HIGHER COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY (UAE)

I am in charge of the development and instruction of the units "Effective Corporate Communication" and "Convergent Journalism".

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
AND RESEARCH PROJECTS

ECREA Conference (Braga, Portugal, 2020)

IN PERSONNEL SELECTION, FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE KING: PREVALENCE OF COMMUNICATIVE TRAITS OVER COMPETENCY SKILLS AMONG HR EXPERTS

Personnel selection has been shaken in recent years by a technological disruption dominated by AI and aimed at identifying potential “good employees”. Elements such as the voice tone, the body language or even the social media footprint are incorporated into ad-hoc algorithms to subject candidates to detailed scrutiny that, however, is not often replicated in further analysis to assess the success of the incorporation of these techniques in the candidate’s performance.

KFAS-LSE Kuwait Program, 2019

NEUROCOMMUNICATION INSIGHTS FOR REDUCING WATER CONSUMPTION: TOWARDS THE "GREEN NUDGE"

A new approach to policy-making has dominated the conversation on public policy during the second half of this decade. Choice architecture and behavioural science have taken the stage to shed light on a different way to manage public resources, and have assumed a protagonist role among governance and public management experts and technocrats, with special relevance in the British and the American public spheres.

JOURNAL EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF BOLZANO, 2013

THE "MOVE" EUROPEAN PROJECT. NEUROCOMMUNICATION INSIGHTS FOR SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS IN EUROPE

Communicating science involves exploring the relationship between science communication behaviour and perceptions of stakeholder scientific expertise in often large-scale sustainability-focused research projects. We find that higher levels of perceived scientific expertise are associated with dialogic and participatory models of communication, and lower levels of perceived scientific expertise are associated with dialogic and diffusion models of communication.

TDX, 2022

 EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN JOB INTERVIEWS. PERCEPTIVE AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF COGNITIVE BIAS-BASED COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES DURING PERSONNEL SELECTION PROCESSES

We designed an experimental study with several phases that allowed us to test communication strategies in a controlled setting and to extract conclusions applicable to relatable scenarios. The results allowed us to prove the prevalence of several communication strategies over competency traits. We have also identified new cognitive biases, such as the priming effect, of special importance during the job interview and with interesting applications for future research.

In Kuwait: +965 6888 0121
In Spain: +34 653 365 363

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CONTACT ME

Events and conferences

  • Research Week at UPF Barcelona
    Research Week at UPF Barcelona
    الجمعة، ١١ ديسمبر
    Pompeu Fabra University
    ١١ ديسمبر ٢٠٢٠، ٥:٠٠ م
    Pompeu Fabra University, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
    ١١ ديسمبر ٢٠٢٠، ٥:٠٠ م
    Pompeu Fabra University, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
    We will be presenting our research projects and welcoming external speakers and junior researchers during the second week of December!
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  • 8th European Communication Conference - Braga '20
    8th European Communication Conference - Braga '20
    الخميس، ٠١ أكتوبر
    Braga
    ٠١ أكتوبر ٢٠٢٠، ١١:٣٠ ص
    Braga, Braga, Portugal
    ٠١ أكتوبر ٢٠٢٠، ١١:٣٠ ص
    Braga, Braga, Portugal
    Our paper "In Human Resources, First Impressions are King" has been selected to be presented in the 8th European Communication Conference in Braga (Portugal), in September 2020
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  • 14th International Conference on Digital Communications Technologies and Mass Media
    14th International Conference on Digital Communications Technologies and Mass Media
    الخميس، ١٩ مارس
    Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City
    ١٩ مارس ٢٠٢٠، ١٠:٠٠ ص
    Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, Sheikh Zayed Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
    ١٩ مارس ٢٠٢٠، ١٠:٠٠ ص
    Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, Sheikh Zayed Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
    I will be introducing the panel "Fake news and public perceptions" at the International Conference on Digital Communications Technologies and Mass Media in Dubai, in March 2020.
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