Julia Cañas Martínez

A PDF of this full version of my CV is available here

A PDF of my (now retired) academic CV is available here

Versatile researcher with a PhD in political science and a strong foundation in qualitative and quantitative methods, open-source investigation, and international affairs. Experienced in conducting in-depth research on complex topics such as political violence, gender, and security, with a proven ability to synthesise information quickly and communicate findings clearly to a range of audiences. Skilled in working across languages and cultural contexts, with professional experience in academic, journalistic, and applied research environments. Reliable, precise, and comfortable managing competing demands and shifting priorities in fast-paced or sensitive settings.

Professional Experience

Research Assistant, Coutot-Roehrig | Madrid, Spain | May 2025 – present

• Help coordinate research between genealogists and lawyers, making sure the right documents are collected and shared on time.
• Keep track of what each team member is working on to spot what they might need next and avoid delays.
• Manage and organize official documents, such as birth and death certificates, with care and accuracy.
• Look after case files, legal papers, and regular communication with clients in Spain and with offices abroad.
• Enter and update information for inheritance cases, making sure all records are complete and easy to follow.
• Act as a primary point of contact with French offices, helping to solve research and administrative issues.
• Set up and follow through on meetings between clients, notaries, and lawyers to keep each case moving.

Research Assistant, University College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | October 2023 – October 2024

• Conducted in-depth literature reviews on organized crime in Costa Rica, Argentina, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
• Created databases of organized crime incidents in Latin America using open-source news reporting.
• Wrote detailed country profiles summarizing organized crime trends, state responses, and legal frameworks.
• Supported a grant proposal team by contributing research and writing background material on regional case studies.
• Collaborated with senior researchers to ensure findings were clearly presented and relevant to the funding application.

Andrew Grene Conflict Resolution Scholar & Doctoral Researcher, University College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | September 2019 – September 2024

• Conducted in-depth research on European women who joined the Islamic State, analysing motivations through the lenses of gender, agency, and religion.
• Awarded the Andrew Grene Conflict Resolution Scholarship, a highly competitive grant from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Research Council, supporting outstanding doctoral research on peace and conflict.
• Used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse case studies, combining open-source data (court documents, media, police reports) with structured coding and comparative analysis.
• Produced a doctoral dissertation contributing to academic and policy debates on gender and political violence.
• Designed and taught a university module titled Women and Political Violence, introducing students to the intersection between conflict studies and feminist theory.
• Presented findings at academic conferences including PSAI, ECPR, BISA, STR, and ECPG, engaging peers across disciplines.

Lecturer, University College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | September 2022 – January 2023

• Designed and taught an advanced undergraduate module on women’s involvement in political violence, based on my own PhD research (research-led teaching).
• Led weekly lectures and seminars encouraging critical thinking, discussion, and media-literacy skills.
• Assessed student work and provided detailed, constructive feedback on essays and exam responses.
• Developed original course materials, including readings, case studies, and in-class exercises.
• Supported students in exploring course topics through diverse sources, linking theory with real-world events and popular culture.
• Received excellent feedback from students for both content and teaching style.
• More details on my teaching can be found here

Multimedia Journalist & Editor, European Pressphoto Agency | Madrid, Spain | June 2016 – August 2018

• Reported on major security and political events, including terror attacks in Europe and armed conflicts across EMEA, updating articles in real time as events unfolded.
• Covered EU institutions and policy developments with clarity for global audiences.
• Managed and edited the output of a dispersed team of international translators to ensure consistency and accuracy under tight deadlines.
• Collaborated with visual teams to pair stories with compelling photojournalism content.
• Assisted in the production of EU-funded environmental documentaries, conducting research and supporting narrative development.
• Developed deep knowledge of regional news landscapes and audience preferences across different linguistic and cultural contexts.

Education

PhD Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | September 2019 – September 2024 | Supervised by Dr. Stephanie Dornschneider-Elkink

• Project funded by the Irish Research Council and the Department of Foreign Affairs
• Produced a book-length thesis based on independent research into women’s participation in the Islamic State.
• Modules included: Quantitative Text Analysis, Gender Studies: Critical Themes, Social Science Methodology, Quantitative Methods II, Qualitative Research Methods.

MSc Peace and Conflict, University College Dublin | Dublin, Ireland | September 2018 – December 2019

• Received First Class Honours
• Produced a thesis comparing biographical data on men and women who joined the Islamic State
• Modules included: Research Design, Qualitative Research Methods for Political Science, Introduction to Statistics, Gender in Peace in Conflict, Political Violence

BA (Hons) Human Rights with Journalism, Kingston University London | Kingston-Upon-Thames, UK | September 2013 – July 2016

• Wrote a capstone project on how participants in black bloc protest tactics justified their use of violence
• Worked as a sub-editor and opinion piece writer for the university paper The River
• Modules included: Crimes of the Powerful, Human Rights and Political Violence, Terrorism and Human Security, Inter-Cultural Communication, and Introduction to Research Methods.

Skills

• Qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Open-source intelligence (OSINT) and media monitoring
• Writing and editing for academic, journalistic, and policy audiences
• Real-time analysis of conflict and security developments
• Translating complex research into accessible formats
• Cross-cultural and multilingual communication (English, Spanish, French)
• Research-led teaching and curriculum design
• Data collection and synthesis from diverse public sources
• Conference presentation and academic engagement
• International field expertise (Europe, Middle East, Latin America)
• Coordination across multilingual, cross-border teams
• Grant writing and proposal support for research funding
• Stakeholder communication in sensitive or high-pressure contexts
• Precision and discretion in handling sensitive information
• Strategic use of digital tools for research and analysis

Software

• R, R Markdown
• Stata
• NVivo
• LATEX

Languages

• English (Native)
• Spanish (Native)
• French (C1)