We are pleased to announce the appointment of Marisa Abrajano, Professor of Political Science, as Provost of Earl Warren College, effective January 1, 2021.
In her service as Interim Provost of Warren College since September 2020, Professor Abrajano has been instrumental in guiding the College through the challenges associated with these exceptional times. She has also provided valuable service to the Council of Provosts in her work on establishing review criteria for Senate faculty in the colleges. She represents the colleges as co-chair of the Holistic Teaching Evaluation Implementation Committee.
Dr. Abrajano joined UC San Diego as an assistant professor in the department of Political Science in 2006. Her research focuses on racial inequities in the US political system and mechanisms for addressing them. She is the author of four books, and has received best book awards for two. Professor Abrajano has published dozens of peer-reviewed articles, review/invited articles and book chapters; many of which appear in leading outlets in the field. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, UC Office of the President, and other funding agencies.
Professor Abrajano has served for several years as co-director of Thurgood Marshall’s Dimensions of Culture writing program. She is the immediately past chair of the Committee on Academic Personnel and previously served as CAP vice-chair and as a committee member. She has been co-president for the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) section on Race, Ethnicity and Politics, and as co-editor of the section’s official journal, The Journal of Race, Ethnicity and Politics. Professor Abrajano has also served as president of APSA’s Latino Caucus, and on numerous professional committees.
A UC graduate and first-generation college student, Professor Abrajano is deeply committed to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. She teaches courses on Latino politics in the US, Race and Politics in the US, DOC 1: Diversity, and the Politics of Immigration. In recognition of these efforts, she was awarded with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Distinguished Teaching Award in 2014. Additionally, she has mentored and advised numerous graduate and undergraduate students through the STARS program, the McNair program and through independent studies and internships.
We are grateful for Professor Abrajano’s extraordinary service as Interim Provost, and we look forward to her continued leadership of Warren College.
