Get to know PERLA’s intern
Hi everyone! I’m Irene, and back home I am a third-year PhD student in Educación y Comunicación Social at the Facultad de Comunicación, Universidad de Málaga. The translated version would be: Education and Social Communication doctoral programme at the Communication Faculty of the University of Málaga (Andalucía, Spain).
Before that, I studied Fine Arts (a four-year degree) and completed a Master’s Degree in Teaching in Compulsory Secondary Education and Baccalaureate (A-levels), Vocational Training, and Language Teaching, which is the qualifying master’s required to teach in Secondary Education within Spain’s educational system.
Currently, I am an intern at PERLA from January to April 2026.
What made you interested in PERLA?
My interest in PERLA (fun fact: perla means “pearl” in Spanish) comes from my broader academic trajectory and my desire to work in an interdisciplinary and international research environment. As part of an Erasmus+ PhD Traineeship programme, I had the opportunity to come to Finland…again! During my bachelor’s studies, I was an Erasmus student at LAB–LUT University in Lappeenranta, an experience I deeply enjoyed,particularly the connection with nature and the working culture. Since 2021, I have been visiting Finland at least once or twice a year.
As mentioned above, my academic background combines Arts, Communication and Education, with a strong interest in social processes. When I learned about PERLA, I was especially drawn to its focus on education beyond the formal educational setting, and to its interest in understanding the factors that affect — or have affected — students’ learning processes, as well as how these conditions can be improved from an educational perspective. I see a strong connection between this approach and my own research interests, particularly regarding violence against children and gender-related issues. I perceived PERLA as a highly collaborative research community and a place where I could both contribute through my background and continue developing my knowledge through shared experiences and collective research.
What kind of tasks will you be involved in at PERLA?
During my traineeship at PERLA, I will be involved in a range of research-related and dissemination activities. I have committed to contributing to at least one event, starting with a guest lecture (dates to be announced soon!), as well as supporting communication tasks such as photography and social media content.
In addition, I am very interested in exploring potential synergies with other researchers at PERLA. If the opportunity arises, I would be keen to collaborate on ongoing projects or to co-develop new research initiatives, particularly where there are shared interests and complementary expertise.
What next?
In the short term, my plan is to continue collaborating with PERLA’s activities, advance my research, and begin writing my doctoral thesis. After defending it, I intend to apply for postdoctoral positions to continue my academic career, and I am open to pursuing these opportunities either in Spain or in Finland. At the same time, I am also considering taking the Spanish government exam for secondary school teachers, as I am genuinely interested in teaching at different educational levels. Both paths are highly motivating to me, and I am enthusiastic about the possibility of contributing to education either at the university or secondary school level — or potentially both.