People

Dr Natalia Rodriguez Vicente

Lecturer
Department of Language and Linguistics
Dr Natalia Rodriguez Vicente

Profile

Biography

I am a lecturer in Interpreting Studies in the Department of Languages and Linguistics, where I serve as Director of the MA Translation, Interpreting & Subtitling and Director of Research Impact. My research focuses on interpreter-mediated communication between linguistically and culturally diverse patients and service providers in mental healthcare settings. My work covers three key areas: (1) how interpreter mediation shapes relational practices between service users and providers; (2) culturally bound conceptualisations of mental health conditions and associated 'idioms of distress'; and (3) strategies for interpreters and service providers to engage in effective interdisciplinary working dynamics to support delivery of equitable and culturally sensitive care, which is a key aspect of my research impact activities. Currently, I am Principal Investigator on the British Academy funded project ‘SPARK’ (2024-2026) on building capacity for Kenya-based ECRs in Applied Linguistics and Psychology. Previously, I was Co-Investigator for the transdisciplinary NIHR-SSCR funded project ‘INforMHAA’ on interpreter mediation in Mental Health Act assessments (2021-2024). Prior to joining Essex, I was a Research Assistant for the Evidence for Evaluation and Improvement (EEvIT) unit at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, working on a project on person-centred care. My PhD on interpreter mediation in Psychological Medicine, conducted at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh) received the international CIUTI Award to the most outstanding contribution to the field of Translation & Interpreting Studies completed at a CIUTI university in 2021. I welcome enquiries for PhD supervision in the fields of discourse analysis, translation and interpreting, interactional pragmatics, and healthcare communication. Additionally, I am open to collaborating with researchers beyond these fields to pursue funding opportunities that support interdisciplinary projects.

Qualifications

  • PhD - Interpreting Studies (Health) Heriot-Watt University,

  • MSc - Conference Interpreting and Translation (Distinction) Heriot-Watt University,

  • BA - Modern languages Universidad de Salamanca,

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Lecturer (R), Language and Linguistics, University of Essex (1/9/2021 - present)

  • Director of Impact for Department of Languages & Linguistics, University of Essex (12/9/2023 - present)

  • Director of MA Translation, Interpreting & Subtitling, University of Essex (1/8/2023 - present)

  • Departmental Ethics Officer, University of Essex (1/6/2022 - 1/9/2024)

Other academic

  • Research assistant, Evidence and Evaluation for Improvement (EEvIT) unit, Healthcare Improvement Scotland - NHS Scotland (1/8/2019 - 1/1/2020)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Medical humanities

Interactional pragmatics

Methodologies for interpreting research

Multilingual healthcare communication

Conferences and presentations

Interdisciplinary influences in meaning-making

57th Annual Conference of the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL), Colchester, United Kingdom, 7/9/2024

Enhancing workforce knowledge and skills in mental health

London City Mental Health Research Centre, London, United Kingdom, 25/6/2024

AMHP and interpreter experiences of interpreter-mediated Mental Health Act assessments: Implications for AMHP practice and education

National Institute for Health Research School of Social Care Research Annual Conference 2024, United Kingdom, 25/4/2024

Interpreting in specialised contexts: context-based decision-making in Mental Health Act assessments

Translation and Cultural Sustainability: Challenges and new avenues, Salamanca, Spain, 18/4/2024

Interpreter-mediated mental health act assessments

National Institute for Health Research SSCR Annual Conference, Chancery Lane, London, 18/4/2023

Interpreting in mental health act assessments (INForMHAA): Building an evidence-based training model

8th International Conference on PSIT (TISP8), Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, 22/3/2023

Building an evidence/based training model based on the INForMHAA project findings

APTIS 2022: Translation & Interpreting pedagogy in a post-pandemic world, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, 18/11/2022

Applying frameworks from interactional pragmatics in the analysis of interpreter-mediated interaction

CIUTI International conference 2022, Lima, Peru, 17/9/2022

Exploring professional taboos in interpreter-mediated Mental Health Act assessments

EFSLI 2022 Conference, Manchester, 4/9/2022

Interpreter-mediated Mental Health Act assessments: the INforMHAA study

National institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Social Care Research Annual Conference, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, 26/4/2022

Ethics of exploring interpreter-mediated Mental Health Act assessments

CIUTI Conference 2021: Ethics and professional codes of practice for translators and interpreters: new contexts in the profession and training, University of Granada, 16/9/2021

Interactional pragmatics and interpreter-mediated mental healthcare interactions

17th International Pragmatics Conference, Winterthur, Switzerland, 27/7/2021

The ‘vast and differentiated’ nature of the mental healthcare field and its impact on interpreters’ role/positioning

Researching Interactional Variation across settings: Impact on Interpreters’ Role, Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies in Scotland (CTISS), Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 22/2/2021

Interpreting psychometric tests: the human factor in interpreter-mediated mental healthcare consultations

7th International conference on public services interpreting and translation (PSIT7), Madrid, Spain, 26/3/2020

What aspects of context affect interpreting performance?

InDialog 3 / ENPSIT Interpreter practice, research and training: the impact of context, Antwerp, 29/11/2019

Person-centred care when linguistically and culturally diverse (LACD) patients are involved

International Symposium for Young Researchers. Departament de Traducció i d'Interpretació. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 29/6/2019

Inter-professional collaboration in interpreter-mediated mental healthcare in the age of artificial intelligence

Critical Link International 9 Tokyo (CLI9), International University of Health and Welfare (IUHW), Tokyo, Japan, 14/6/2019

Healthcare interpreting and person-centred care

6th Durham Postgraduate Conference on Translation Studies, University College, Durham, United Kingdom, 1/6/2019

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Language Expert 1 (LA041)

  • Concepts of Translation and Cultural Mediation (LA043)

  • Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling Skills (LA067)

  • Interpreting Practice I (LA835)

  • Interpreting Practice II (LA840)

  • Forensic Linguistics (LG364)

Publications

Journal articles (3)

Young, A., Vicary, S., Tipton, R., Rodriguez Vicente, N., Napier, J., Hulme, C. and Espinoza, F., (2024). Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) perspectives on interpreter mediated Mental Health Act assessments. Journal of Social Work. 24 (2), 219-239

Vicary, S., Young, A., Rodriguez Vicente, N., Tipton, R., Napier, J. and Hulme, S., (2024). The luxury of time: a reflexive thematic analysis of omnipresence, contradiction, and passivity in interpreter-mediated Mental Health Act Assessments. Qualitative Social Work: research and practice

Rodriguez Vicente, N., Young, A., Tipton, R., Napier, J., Vicary, S. and Hulme, C., (2024). Interpreter mediation in statutory mental health assessments: a scoping review. Interpreting and Society: An Interdisciplinary Journal. 4 (2), 159-195

Book chapters (2)

Monteoliva-García, E. and Rodriguez Vicente, N., (2023). Characterising ‘Interpreting Problems’ in Two Public Service Settings. In: A Qualitative Approach to Translation Studies: Spotlighting Translation Problems. Editors: De la Cova, E. and Calvo, E., . Routledge: Taylor & Francis. 273- 288. 9781032182483

Rodriguez Vicente, N., Napier, J. and de Pedro Ricoy, R., (2021). Dialogue Interpreting and Person-Centred Care in a Clinical Mental Healthcare Setting. In: Empirical Studies of Translation and Interpreting: The Post-Structuralist Approach. Editors: Wang, C. and Binghan, Z., . Routledge. 29- 48. 9780367856106

Reports and Papers (4)

Rodriguez Vicente, N., Multiple case study evaluation of 'What matters to you?' in day-to-day practice

Young, A., Tipton, R. and Rodriguez Vicente, N., Mind your language. Interpreters in Mental Health Act assessments

Rodriguez Vicente, N., Young, A., Tipton, R., Napier, J., Vicary, S. and Hulme, C., (2024). InforMHAA: Best practices for Approved Mental Health Professionals and Interpreters working together

Young, A., Rodriguez Vicente, N., Tipton, R., Napier, J., Vicary, S. and Hulme, C., (2022). Scoping Review of interpreter-mediated assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983) and international equivalents

Thesis dissertation (1)

Rodriguez Vicente, N., (2021). Dialogue interpreting in Psychological Medicine: an exploration of rapport management practices

Grants and funding

2024

Building capacity to publish in high-impact journals through mentorship and interdisciplinary training for Kenya-based early career researchers in Applied Linguistics and Psychology

British Academy

2021

The INforMHAA study: Interpreter-mediated mental health act assessments (Extension with Manchester)

National Institute for Health Research

Contact

natalia.rodriguezvicente@essex.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1206 872186

Location:

4.320, Colchester Campus

Academic support hours:

Thursdays, 12pm - 2pm