Department of Foreign Languages: UNLV

Dr. Villanueva received his Ph.D. in German Studies from Duke University with a dissertation entitled Breaking With Tradition: Europe as a Political Project in the CDU. Prior to coming to UNLV, he was a Research Associate at the Aspen Institute Berlin. He is contracted to teach classes in both the Department of Foreign Languages and the Honors College.

In the Department of Foreign Languages, Dr. Villanueva teaches courses on translation, film, literature and Business German as well as all levels of the German language. For the Honors College, Dr. Villanueva offers seminars on German and European culture and politics, as well as mentoring Honors Theses. He also founded and currently serves as Director of the SAGE Academy, a 3-week academic program for gifted high school students held every summer at UNLV since 2004.

Dr. Villanueva's scholarly conference papers and academic publications include studies on modern Austrian literature, German and European political culture and language pedagogy. His book on the intellectual history of the CDU's policies on European integration was published by VDM Verlag in March 2009. Among other honors, Dr. Villanueva has received the "Founder's Award" from the Las Vegas World Affairs Council (2006), the UNLV Honors College's "Master Teacher Award" (2006), and a "German-American Friendship Award" (2004) from the German Foreign Ministry.