Dr Angels Trias-i-Valls

Àngels Trias i Valls is a Social and Cultural Anthropologist. Her specialisation is in Economic and Digital Anthropology in the field of emergent, immersive and decentralised technologies.  Àngels received her PhD in 1999 in Social Anthropology by the Queen's University of Belfast for her work on economic exchange in contemporary Japan. Àngels specialises in ethnographic research in Japan, Europe and virtual environments.  Àngels current research and pedagogic interests include learning, teaching in Higher Education in the UK, with special emphasis on new communication and virtual technologies; and cultural understandings of AI, Decentralisation (Blockchain and Crypto economies) and the Metaverse. 

Àngels research has two periods. From 1995 to 2010, Àngels carried out research that considered visual and economic exchanges in Japan (and briefly in Malaysia and more extensively in Europe) and explored the intersection of exchange, cosmopolitanism, gender, sexuality, mobility with new communication and visual technologies. Àngels also worked on developing academic open access and online learning and teaching. Àngels published widely on these themes and produced several ethnographic films and visual ethnographies. 

During this period Àngels was the pioneer of the first UK e-learning BA and MA in Social Anthropology for the University of Wales. She/They also produced three of the first digital anthropology projects for the Department of Anthropology at the Queen’s University of Belfast (1999-2000) and Lancaster University (2000). Àngels received two HEA C-SAP awards in recognition for her contributions to the discipline of anthropology for these projects. Àngels served in editorial panels for the Welsh Academic Press and was editor of the Open Access Anthropology Journal ‘Dissent and Cultural Politics’ as well as being external examiner for the Anthropology Department at Goldsmiths and Manchester University.

In 2010 Àngels completed an award-winning interdisciplinary multi-institutional pedagogic project with C-SAP (Higher Education Academy) OER on the repurposing of teaching materials and its open access dissemination. Since then, their research is combining pedagogy with an ethnographic exploration of the role of sensorial and immersive environments towards a theorisation of an anthropology of digital virtual and immersive media. Àngels is conducting applied pedagogic and ethnographic research on the Metaverse and on decentralised virtual economies. 

Since 2010 at Regents, Àngels has taught and developed courses on anthropology, gender and sexuality, leadership, innovation, creativity, global perspectives, complexity, and uncertainty. She/They is currently teaching courses on digital media and society, social media and digital culture and emergent technologies; Àngels is co-writing on electives on social media, Web3 and the metaverse, blockchain and cryptocurrencies and preparing various papers on these topics. She/They also teaches on the PGCHE programme. 

Àngels most recent academic roles include leading on research supervision and conferences, the media sensorial lab and as academic editor; deputy program director for the MA in Management course design and revalidation; staff voice; Culture project; LGBTQ+ network chair and EDI rep, Digital Champion, Learning Design Champion and currently she is Associate Professor and Director (People). 

Qualifications

• PhD Social Anthropology, The Queen's University of Belfast,  1999 
• Llicenciatura in Cultural Anthropology (BA/MA), University of Barcelona, 1992
• Film and Media Production Degree. Centre de la Imatge. Barcelona, 1991

Further qualifications:

• CPD certificate on Blockchain, CPC, 2023
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2018
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2017
• PGSC PHD Supervision, Northampton University, 2017
• Member CMI – MCMI Charter Manager Institute, 2016
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2008
• Multimedia Development (Flash and Authorware) Atzek Multimedia. London for UW Lampeter , 2004
• Staff Development: Quality Assurance, Teacher Training, Learning Technologies. Aberystwyth, University of Wales.  2002, 2003, 2007
• Tutor Training In Higher Education. Teaching Small Groups. Staff Development QUB, Belfast, 2000

Relevant Past Employment

• 2008-2010 Executive Manager of the Institute of Contemporary European Studies, Senior Research Assistant and Lecturer in Anthropology (2010), Regent's University London
• 2000 – 2008, Full-time Lecturer in Social Anthropology. University of Wales, Lampeter.
• 1999 – 2000, Part-time Lecturer in Social Anthropology. LSB College, Dublin   
• 2000, Anthropology Learning Technologist for Introducing Anthropology. Queen's University, Belfast  
• 2000, Anthropology Learning Technologist for Medical Anthropology. UC Lancashire, Preston 
• 1997 – 2000, Teaching assistant in Social Anthropology. Queen's University, Belfast

Professional Affiliation(s)/Accreditation

• Member of  RAI, The Royal Anthropological Institute 
• Research Affiliation, Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa. University of Tokyo, Japan.
• Member of EASA and ASA European Association Social Anthropologists, Association of Social Anthropologists.
• Member of C‐SAP Center for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, Birmingham.

• (2001). Wrapped Gifts: Ritual Prestations and social obligations in contemporary Japan. CSAC Monographs online 19. Center for Social Anthropology and Computing: The University of Kent.  
• (2002).  ‘The Dangers of Wrapping gifts: “El Perill d' embolicar regals' in Identidades, Relaciones y Contextos” (ed. J Bestard) Barcelona: UB 2002:93‐113 ISBN: 84‐457‐2724‐7
• (2002).  ‘Online teaching: The role of visual media in the delivery of Anthropology online' in Visual Learning, Visual Teaching (ed. S.Pink, L Kurti) Anthropology in Action 2002, Volume 9, Issue 2. ISBN: ISSN 0967‐2019. 
• (2009). ‘Escaping the ‘modern' excesses of Japanese life: critical voices on Japanese rural cosmopolitanism' in “United in Discontent: Local Responses to Cosmopolitanism, Multiculturalism and Globalisation” Kirtsoglou, E and Theodossopoulous, D (Eds.) Routledge: London. ISBN 978‐1‐84545‐630‐6
• (2009). ‘Normalising Japan'. Book Review for Democracy and Security. Volume 6 Taylor & Francis ISSN 1741‐9166
• (2009). ‘European Kinship in the Age of Biotechnology. Book Review for Contemporary Europe. iCES Publications, p40‐42 ISSN: 2040‐6495
• (2009). ‘The European Union and Border Conflicts' Book review for Contemporary Europe. iCES Publications, p42‐44 ISSN: 2040‐6495
• (2009). Editor 'Why Social Science Matters: Employability after the Crash'. CSAP: Higher Education Academy, Subject Network for Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, University of Birmingham, Issue 2. ISBN 1902191374
• (2009). Last in Line: when employability skills are not enough in ‘'Why Social Science Matters: Employability after the Crash'. 48 CSAP: Higher Education Academy Subject Network for Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, University of Birmingham, Issue 2. ISBN 1902191374
• (2009).  ‘Globalisation & Europeanisation in Education' Book Review in Power and Education, Symposium Journals, ISSN 1757‐7438
• (2010). 'Beyond Gender? A New Minister for a Transformative Post‐Lisbon Agenda.
• (2010).  Editor 'Altermodern: journeys, global cultures, fragmentations' in ARDAC, Anthropology Journal: Dissent and Cultural Politics, Issue n.1,  Open Access Journals ISSN: 2041‐1405 May 2010
• (2010).  'Open Access Anthropology 2.0 as a type of altermodern experimentation' in Anthropology Journal: Dissent and Cultural Politics, issue n.1, Open Access Journals ISSN: 2041‐1405 May 2010, pp.40‐49
• (2011). ‘Consenting to Gender and Sexuality in Anthropology: ‘Queer' bodies and the role of ‘fantasy' and ‘desire' in the curriculum' in Teaching Gender in the 21st Century. CSAP Monographs. University of Birmingham.
• (2015) ‘Arbitraging Japan’ Book Review in Journal of Global Fautlines. Volume 2, Issue, pp49-60
• (2015) ‘Different Times’ and Other ‘Altermodern’ Possibilities: Filming Interviews with Children as Ethnographic ‘Wanderings’ in Authenticity and the Interview, (Ed. Smith, K et al, 2015). ISB 978-1-78238-589-9
• (2024) 'The three of us in the Metaverse: considering new modalities of learning, teaching and being virtual'. Agreed paper for AI in Education Forum. Pioneering the Future of Education with AI. APAC, London 

Different outputs and additional 48 papers (on demand)

• 2008-2011 UK-wide Open Education Resources programme [UKOER] collaborating with JISC [Joint Information Systems Committee) and the Higher Education Academy project to enable higher education institutions, consortia and individuals to share learning materials freely online, adopting a critical social science perspective. 
• 2008-2010 Institute of Contemporary European Studies (iCES) at Regent's College. 18 Edited Volumes and Conference support projects
• 2008- ongoing Multimedia for Anthropology – Anthropology Projects
• 2009-2010 External Reviewer ERSC project Reviews
• 2010-2015 Peer Reviewer (Anthropology and History, Berghahan Social Anthropology) 
• 2020 Peer Reviewer (Anthropology and History, Berghahan Social Anthropology
• 2020-ongoing Metaverse projects. Regent's University London

Current:
1 PhD Supervision. Northampton University/ Regents University London. Mitchell Belfer on 'Coalitions of the Willing and a Changing Middle East'. 

Supervised:

• 75 undergraduate students and 25 MA students at Regents University London and University of Wales.
• 5 MPhil and PhD students at the University of Wales.

Research Interests

Àngels' current ethnographic and pedagogic research includes the anthropology of learning, teaching in virtual/metaverse environments, with special emphasis on new communication and digital and immersive technologies; the senses in the context of immersive technologies; dissent and intersection with the politics of cultural consent online (Web 2) and in Web 3 with the Metaverse; cultural understandings of AI, Avatar, Content Creation and Gaming on the Metaverse; Decentralisation (Blockchain and Crypto economies).

• 2008 Funding Contract with CSAP (Center for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics). Project title: ‘Interrogating Consent and Dominance: citizenship, ethnicities and sexualities in Research and Teaching'. Postgraduates Project £2500
• 2008 Award: C‐SAP Anthropology Associate Award £1,000 
• 2009 Award: Higher Education Academy Excellency Recognition Award in 
  Anthropology.
• 2009-2010 Funding Contract C-SAP OER Consortium (Evaluation the Practice of Opening up Resources for Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences) funded under the joint JISC / HEA Open Educaitonal Resources Programme £5,000 University of Birmingham.

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member CMI – MCMI Charter Manager Institute
• Member of  RAI, The Royal Anthropological Institute 
• Research Affiliation, Department of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa. University of Tokyo, Japan.
• Member of EASA and ASA European Association Social Anthropologists, Association of Social Anthropologists.
• Member of C‐SAP  Center for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, Birmingham.

Àngels is currently teaching courses on 'Digital Media and Society' BA (Hons) in Media and Communications; 'Social Media and Digital Culture' and 'Emergent technologies' MA Media and Digital Communications; Àngels also teaches on the PGCHE programme, in particular on themes of identity, epistemology, inclusive learning, international diversity in learning and teaching in Higher Education. 

Àngels supported the curriculum design of the BA and MA in Media and Communications and the BA in Management as well as the MsC in Emergent Technologies and MsC in Digital Transformation. Across these she has co-written on Web3; The Metaverse and Decentralisation; co-developed various electives (London Perspectives, Global Perspectives, Why we Post: Social Media and us, Creative Futures, Understanding AI, Blockchain and the Crypto Revolution).