Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park
About
Michelle M. Espino Lira is an assistant professor of higher education, student affairs, and international education policy at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research centers on the individual, organizational, and community factors that affect educational attainment for racial/ethnic minorities, particularly for Latinas/os. Drawing upon interdisciplinary approaches, Dr. Espino Lira engages in the following lines of inquiry: (1) advancing critical theoretical and methodological approaches that enable scholars to conduct meaningful and rigorous educational research; (2) analyzing the interplay between educational institutions and racial/ethnic factors, exposing the social inequities that undermine individual motivations to study and work in colleges and universities; and (3) offering critical perspectives that counter traditional deficit-centered representations of racial/ethnic minorities and promote assets-based strategies. She has published articles in Harvard Educational Review, The Review of Higher Education, Teachers College Record, Equity & Excellence in Education, and Qualitative Inquiry. She has received three early scholar awards, is the 2008 recipient of the Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year Award from the Association of the Study of Higher Education, and a 2007 Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow.
Current Work:
Dr. Espino Lira investigates the individual, organizational, and community factors that affect educational attainment and career pathways for racial/ethnic minorities. For the past few years, her work has focused on Latina/o/x student and faculty experiences. She would like to advance her work into the area of Latina/o/x leadership pathways (e.g., department chairs, deanships, vice presidents, and provosts). Her research interests have the potential to build capacity and harness high-impact educational practices to increase educational opportunity and social change.
Research Area Keyword(s):
Race/ethnicity, social justice, educational attainment, Latinas/os
