Academic CV | Adriana P. Ramirez – Ph.D. Candidate at UC Berkeley

Education

University of California, Berkeley- Ph.D. (Expected 2027)

Sociology, Emphasis on Migration, Latin America, Political Sociology, Race/Ethnicity
Dissertation: “De Aquí y DeAllá”: Young Return Migrants’ (Re)Integration in Mexico
Committee: Cristina Mora &Cybelle Fox (Co-Chairs), Tianna Paschel, Cal Morrill, Irene Bloemraad

University of California, Berkeley- M.A. (May 2016)

Latin American Studies

Thesis: “El Sueño Mexicano: Returning Migrant Youth’s Adaptation Experience in Oaxaca, Mexico”

University of California, Davis- B.A. (May 2012)

International Relations & Anthropology, Emphasis in Peace & Security and Latin America

Thesis: “Undocumented Minors’ Unaccompanied Journey to the U.S: A Mexico-U.S. Case Study”

Study Abroad: University of Granada, Spain (08/10 - 06/11); UCEAP Cusco, Peru (06/09- 07/09)

Publications

Ramírez, Adriana P. Forthcoming.“The Road to Return: Children’s Experiences of (Un)Anticipated US Departure.”Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies Special Issue: Migration across the Americas.
Ramírez, Adriana P. 2024. “Double Citizenship as a Double-Edged Sword: Young Return Migrants’ Code-Switching for Belonging in Mexico.”

Social Problems. Online Access

**Winner, AristideZolberg Distinguished Student Scholar Award (2025), International MigrationSection, ASA
**Honorable Mention,Cristina Maria Riegos Student Paper Award (2024), Latina/o Sociology Section,ASA
**Berkeley Centerfor the Study of Law and Society Graduate Student Paper Prize (2022)

Ramírez, Adriana P. “The Time in Between: Children’s Experiences of Departing the U.S. and “Returning” to Mexico.” (2026). Berkeley, CA: UC Berkeley Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Online Access
Ramírez, Adriana P. “El Sueño Mexicano: Returning Migrant Youth’s Adaptation Experience in Mexico.” (2019).

Berkeley, CA: UC Berkeley Center for Latin American Studies.

Online Access

Research Experience

Independent Research Project, UC Berkeley (Summer 2015, Summer 2018, present)

Graduate Student Researcher, UC Berkeley Institute od Governmental Studies (July 2022-present)

Translate monthly IGS poll.

Graduate Student Researcher, Taking Count Project, Department of Sociology, UC Berkeley (06/19-08/19)

Conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with Bay Area residents on topics related to inequality
Write detailed field notes.

Graduate Student Researcher, Professor Cristina Mora, Department of Sociology, UC Berkeley (03/19-05/19)

Conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews of Latinx perceptions of the state and the census.

Graduate Student Researcher, Professor Irene Bloemraad, Department of Sociology, UC Berkeley (10/18-12/18)

Re-design the curriculum for the International Immigration course to incorporate the “Mapping Inequality” research project.
Create productive ways to provide the appropriate tools for students to learn about international immigration while contributing to a larger research project.

Research Assistant, Professor Dina Okamoto, Department of Sociology, UC Davis (07/11 – 09/12)

Compile, translate, transcribe, and analyze interview data on community-based organizations for immigrants.

Honors Research Seminar, International Relations Program, UC Davis (09/11 - 03/12)

Conduct interdisciplinary research on undocumented minor’s lone journey from Mexico to theU.S. by using qualitative and quantitative methods to fulfill the requirements of the UC Davis Honors Thesis Program.

Professional Experience

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley IGS’ Cal in Sac Program (Spring & Summer 2025)

Develop lesson plans to train a group of 33 undergraduate students in basic research methodology to create a research plan during the spring, guiding them in conducting a pilot research project during the summer while they intern at the California Capital in Sacramento.

Head Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Fall 2024)

Class: “Social Theory 102,” Professor: Ricarda Hammer
Develop lesson plans to support undergraduate students' comprehension of social theories and their application and/or limitations to understand current events.

Graduate Student Mentor, Bridge Connect, UC Berkeley (Summer 2024)

Mentor and support the transition of 35 first-year undergraduate students from high school to college.
Develop lesson plans on various topics varying from time management, university opportunities and resources, study habits, imposter syndrome, and being a first-generation college student.

Graduate Student Senior Mentor, First-Year Connect, UC Berkeley (Summer 2022)

Mentor and support the transition of 35 first-year undergraduate students from high school to college.
Develop lesson plans on various topics varying from time management, university opportunities and resources, study habits, imposter syndrome, and being a first-generation college student.
Provide peer support and sample lesson plans to first-time mentors.

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Spring 2021)

Class: “History of Social Theory 102,” Professor: Michael Burawoy
Develop lesson plans to support undergraduate students' comprehension of social theories and their application and/or limitations to understand current events.

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Fall 2020)

Class: “History of Social Theory 101,” Professor: Michael Burawoy
Develop lesson plans to support undergraduate students' comprehension of classical sociological theories and their application and/or limitations to understanding current events.

Graduate Student Instructor, Bridge Connect, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Summer 2020)

Mentor and support the transition of 35 first-year undergraduate students from high school to college.
Develop lesson plans on various topics, varying from time management, university opportunities and resources, study habits, imposter syndrome, and being a first-generation college student.

Graduate Student Instructor, Berkeley Connect, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Fall 2019 & Spring 2020)

Mentor a group of 40 undergraduate students on various topics varying from time management, research, preparing for life after college, and reading and writing critically.

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Spring 2019)

Class: “Contemporary Migration in a Global Perspective;” Professor: Irene Bloemraad
Lead discussions for two groups of 20 students each.
Scaffold material and skills necessary for students to create a statistical profile on an immigrant group, conduct an oral history interview and work in groups to create a policy brief on an immigrant-receiving community in the Bay Area.

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science (Fall 2018)

Class: “Migration, Arts, and Transformation;” Professor: Alex Saragoza
Lead discussions for two groups of 30 students.
Hold weekly office hours to help any students with additional questions.
Plan weekly lesson plans.

Spanish Teacher, Mission High School, San Francisco, CA (08/2016-05/2017)

Develop lesson plans using the communicative approach, exams, quizzes, and syllabus for basic-level Spanish.
Communicate and meet with parents and administration.
Manage 5 different classrooms of 20+ students.
Educating high school students on the history and culture of Spanish-speaking countries.

Latinx Project Manager, PSR Center for LGBTQ & Gender Studies (06/2016-12/2016)

DevelopDevelop a project plan to monitor and track progress through the grant period.
Ensure that all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and budget.
Oversee the ongoing development of a bilingual (Spanish/English) website and the addition of Portuguese materials.
Arrange for meetings of the Latino/ax Roundtable, both in-person and online.

Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Spanish Department, (Fall 2015 & Summer 2016)

Teach elementary-level Spanish to a class of 13 students.
Hold weekly office hours to help any students with additional questions.
Plan daily lessons for class.

Latino Outreach Director, Garamendi for Congress Campaign, Woodland, CA (07/12-11/12)

Helped to design and implement the campaign’s Latino outreach plan.
Organizing Latino summits and roundtables with the Congressman and local Latino leaders.
Managed the California Democratic Party’s Latino outreach efforts in California’s 3^rd Congressional District.
Recruiting and interviewing Latino interns by giving presentations at local high schools.
Coordinating and supervising intern program. Managing 20+ interns for canvassing, Latino summits, phone banking, and community service.
Translating campaign documents from English to Spanish.

Presentations (*invited)

Latin American Studies Association Conference, San Francisco, CA (Spring 2025)

Taller: Mujeres haciendo trabajo de campo en América Latina: Una conversación multidisciplinaria sobre las lecciones y los retos de poner el cuerpo en la región.

Pacific Sociological Association Conference, San Francisco, CA (Spring 2025)

The Myth of "Mesearch": Reclaiming Lived Experience as Scholarly Authority Panel

*Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo, Facultad de Sociología, Texcoco, México (Spring 2024)

De Aquí y de Allá: La (Re)integración a México de Jóvenes Migrantes Retornados, Chapingo University

*Matrix on Point: Border Crossing Panel, UC Berkeley Social Science Matrix, (April 2023)

“Belonging as Acquired Code-Switching: The Experience of Young Return Migrants in Mexico”

American Sociological Association Conference, Los Angeles, CA (August 2022)

Foregrounding Return Migration Round Table
“La Promesa Nacional:” Returning Migrant Youth and Young Adults Negotiating Membership in Oaxaca, Mexico

American Sociological Association Conference, Virtual [accepted-did not present] (3/09/2020)

Immigrant Belonging and Identity Regular Session (International Immigration Sub-Unit)
“La Promesa Nacional:” Returning Migrant Youth and Young Adults Negotiating Membership in Oaxaca, Mexico

National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies FOCO Conference, Sacramento, CA (3/14/2020)

“La Promesa National:” Young Return Migrants Negotiating Membership in Oaxaca, Mexico [Virtual]

Tinker Summer Field Research Presentation, Berkeley, CA (2/06/2019)

“La Promesa National:” Young Return Migrants Negotiating Membership in Oaxaca, Mexico [Virtual]

*Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, "Undocumented Heart," Oakland, CA (9/08/2018)

“How have multinational corporations, governments, and climate change affected migration from Latin America to the U.S.?”

Latin American Studies in a Globalized World International Congress, Barcelona, Spain (5/24/2018)

“El sueño alternativo: una mirada a la migración en el sur desde la perspectiva del caso mexicano”

*The Diablo International Resource Center, Walnut Creek, CA (5/10/2017)

“The Future of Mexico and the U.S.”

UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference, Davis, CA (4/12)

“Undocumented Minors Unaccompanied Journey to the U.S: A Mexico-U.S. Case Study”

Service

Graduate Student Representative for Graduate Admissions Committee, Berkeley, CA (Spring 2025)

Berkeley Connect Senior Mentor Advisor, Berkeley, CA (Fall 202 & Fall2023)

Citizenship Reading Group, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Spring 2023)

Undocumented Research Cohort (URC) Mentor, Berkeley, CA (Fall 2021- Spring 2022)

First-Year Connect Senior Mentor, Berkeley, CA (Summer 2022)

Graduate Student Representative for the Faculty Search Committee, Berkeley, CA (Fall 2021)

Immigration Workshop Coordinator, UC Berkeley Sociology Department (Fall 2020-Spring 2021)

Undocumented Research Cohort (URC) Co-Mentor, Berkeley, CA (Spring 2019-Spring 2021)

Sociology Honors Thesis Mentoring Program, Berkeley, CA (August 2018-May 2019)

Sociologists of Color & Allies Organizer, Berkeley, CA (September 2018-May 2019)

Graduate Students de la Raza Member, Berkeley, CA (September 2018-May 2019)

Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network Volunteer, Woodland, CA (June 2012-June 2014)

Awards

Duster Departmental Fellowship (2025-2026)

Anticolonial Lab Summer Graduate Student Grant (Summer 2025)

Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) Summer Dissertation Writing Fellowship (Summer 2025)

Institute for the Study of Societal Issues Graduate Fellowship (2024-2025)

Honorable Mention, Cristina Maria Riegos Student Paper Award (ASA) (2024)

Bridge Connect Summer Fellowship (Summer 2024)

UC-Alianza MX Short-Term Research Grant (Spring 2024)

Berkeley Institute for International Studies ABD Research Grant (2022-2023)

Berkeley Center for the Study of Law and Society Graduate Student Paper Prize (2022)

First-Year Connect Summer Fellowship (Summer 2022)

UC-MEXUS CONACYT Doctoral Fellowship (2018-2022)

Migration Summer Research Grant (2021)

Institute for International Studies Pre-Dissertation Research Grant (2020)

Bridge Connect Summer Fellowship (2020)

Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award (2020)

Ford Predoctoral Fellowship Honorable Mention (2020)

Berkeley Connect Fellowship (2019-2020)

Berkeley Social Justice Fellowship (2019)

Tinker Summer Field Research Grant (2018)

Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Grant-Brazil (2017-Declined)

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (2015-2016)

Graduate Opportunity Fellowship (2014-2015)

Dean of Graduate Division Block Grant (2014-2015)

Hilda M. Sparling Scholarship (2008 – 2012)

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (2010)

Christine Diane Fisher Memorial Scholarship (2010)

Professional Training & Language Skills

Techinical:

Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Express Scribe, Word Press, Internet Search, MAXQDA (qualitative coding software), and Stata.

Languages:

Spanish: Bilingual reading, writing and speaking capacity in Spanish and English. 9+ years of experience working with and translating for Spanish-speaking communities.
Portuguese: Intermediate level of Brazilian Portuguese.

Curriculum Vitae

Explore my work