2017 - present, PhD candidate and Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) at the Departmet of Geography and the Environment. The University of Denver (DU).

• Advisor: Dr. Eric Boschmann
•  Dissertation title: “Mobility of older adults in Mexico City. A mixed methods approach”
• Awards: Doctoral Fellowship for Inclusive Engagement granted by the University of Denver for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years, and "Becas para el Extranjero" granted by the Mexican Federal Government for students pursuing doctoral studies abroad. 

2016, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Geography. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City.

• Advisor: Dr. Luis Chias Becerril
• Thesis title: “Accessibility and Economic Development in the Montaña de Guerrero Region, 1990 to 2010.”
• Awards: Two-year “National Grant for Graduate Students” from the Mexican Federal Government
• Graduated with Honors. “Alfonso Caso Merit Medal”, 2016 Class Valedictorian. UNAM, Mexico City

2015, Visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte).

• Host Professor: Dr. Jean-Claude Thill
• Host Department: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
• Awards: Six-month grant for “Exchange Graduate Students”, from the Mexican Federal Government
• Courses audited: Geographic Information Science and Technology, and Quantitative Methods I: Basic Statistics and Probability

2014, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City.

• Advisor: Dr. Luis Chias Becerril
• Thesis title: “A Spatial Analysis of the Traffic Accidents in the México – Tijuana Highway Corridor in 2008”
• Awards: Six-month “Thesis Grant for Outstanding Undergraduate Students”. One-year “Maria Teresa Gutiérrez de MacGregor Thesis Grant” and six-month “Introduction to Research Grant”, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico
• Graduated with Honors

• July 2021, “Laurance C. Herold Fund for Student Field Research” Project title: “Capturing Transportation Infrastructure in Mexico City” granted by the Department of Geography and the Environment at DU. Amount $750
• June 2021, “Dr. Laurance C. Herold Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant in Geography” granted by the Department of Geography and the Environment at DU. Amount $150
• March 2020, “Graduate Education Dissertation Fellowship” for the 2019-2020 academic year and granted by the Office of Graduate Studies at DU. Amount $ $2,500
• August 2017 and 2018, “Doctoral Fellowship for Inclusive Engagement” for the 2017- 2018 and 2018-2019 academic years and granted by the Office of Graduate Studies at DU. Amount $4,500 each
• July 2018, “Laurance C. Herold Fund for Student Field Research” Project title: “Preliminary fieldwork for qualitative study of the mobility of older adults in Mexico City” granted by the Department of Geography and the Environment at DU. Amount $700.
• February 2018, “Student Travel Award” granted by the American Association of Geographers. Transport Geography Specialty Group. Amount $100
• October 2017, “Antonio Caso Academic Merit Medal Award to the Class Valedictorian” Master’s Program in Geography, UNAM, Mexico City
• December 2014, “Gabino Barreda Academic Merit Medal Award to the Class Valedictorian” Undergraduate Program in Geography, UNAM, Mexico City

Grants (not funded):

• February 2021, The Society of Woman Geographers Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research
• December 2020, American Association of Geographers, Graduate Student Affinity Group (GSAG) Research and Support Award
• December 2020, American Association of University Women (AAWU) International Fellowships
• November 2020, Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Colorado 2020 Graduate Scholarships. Advancing Women Advancing Transportation

Journal Articles

Villena-Sánchez, J., Boschmann, E. (2021) "A scoping review of the daily mobilities of older adults in the Global South", The Canadian Geographer. (Under revision)

Villena-Sánchez, J., Avila, S., Boschmann E. “Daily travel behaviors and transport mode choice of older adults in Mexico” targeted for Journal of Transport Geography. (In preparation)

Newsletter articles

Villena Sánchez, Jessica. 2021. “Amplifying University-Community Voices: Geography to ‘Fight the Good Fight.’” Public Good Impact. Retrieved August 17, 2021 (https://publicgoodimpact.com/2021/07/20/amplifying-university-community-voicesgeography-to-fight-the-good-fight/). 

• April 2021 – present. Graduate Student Board Member. Mental Health Affinity Group. The American Association of Geographers (AAG)
• April 2019 – 2021. Graduate Student Board Member. Transportation Geography Specialty Group. The American Association of Geographers (AAG)
• December 2020 – present. Graduate Student Member. International Network for Transport and Accessibility in Low Income Communities INTALInC.
• 2017 – present. Graduate Student Member:
  − American Geographical Society
  − Conference of Latin American Geography, CLAG
  − Latin America Specialty Group of the AAG
  − Qualitative Research Specialty Group of the AAG
  − Urban Geography Specialty Group of the AAG
• 2016 - 2017. Graduate Student Member. Network on European Communications and Transport Activities Research (NECTAR)

• Urban Equity Studies
• Transportation Geography
• Urban Landscapes in the Global South
• Community Engagement Research
• Mobility and Accessibility Studies
• Mixed Methods Approaches