About Me

As a first-generation college graduate and a former community college transfer student (Ventura Community College), I carry immense pride in my heritage as the son of Mexican immigrants. My hometown, Santa Paula, CA, holds a special place in my heart, and I celebrate its influence on my journey.

In 2022, I earned a Ph.D. in Sociology and an M.A. in Latin American and Iberian Studies from the University of California, Irvine, supplementing my earlier B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. That same year, I began my career as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California State University, Chico. My expertise lies in global political economy, development, economic sociology, inequality and stratification, social network analysis, and quantitative research methods. I am adept in mixed methods research, encompassing survey design, time series analysis, and social network analysis, leveraging quantitative and qualitative approaches. My passion lies in transforming data into compelling narratives and presenting rich, high-quality content accessible to engage diverse audiences.

As a first-generation Latino scholar, I recognize the importance of cultivating a diverse student body and embracing the challenge of enhancing diversity, inclusion, and equity on campus. My teaching experience at leading Hispanic-serving institutions, including California State University (CSU) Dominguez Hills, CSU Long Beach, and the University of California, Irvine (UCI), has given me a rich understanding of students from varied cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds. This experience shaped my pedagogical approach, which leverages my students’ diverse identities, perspectives, and experiences to enrich their learning journey. In my teaching, I prioritize including scholarship by diverse scholars (women, racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ scholars, etc.), focusing on issues that impact marginalized communities to amplify these critical voices in academia.

Prior to joining Chico State in 2022, I was a UC Irvine Kugelman Citizen Peacebuilding Research Fellow, UC Irvine Center for Networks and Relational Analysis Research Fellow, UC Irvine Division of Teaching Excellence and Innovation Pedagogical Fellow, and a 2020 recipient of the Tom Angell Fellowship Award.