Brenda Gambol

Brenda Gambol is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), affiliated with the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor at Mount Saint Mary College (2020–2021). Her research focuses on Asian ethnic stratification in the U.S., particularly Filipino Americans, exploring topics like intergenerational mobility, educational disparities, and racial identity.

Education: B.A. in Sociology and Ethnic Studies (UC San Diego, 2005); Ph.D. in Sociology (The Graduate Center, CUNY, 2020).

Research Interests: Immigration policy, second-generation Asian Americans, race and ethnicity, and the impact of colonialism on Filipino communities. Notable projects include a National Science Foundation-funded study on Asian Indian professionals' green card experiences (collaborating with Meghna Sabarwhal and Varaidzo Zvobgo) and an ethnographic examination of Filipino underachievement in education.

Awards: Earned prestigious fellowships including the Altman Dissertation Fellowship (2016) and Aristide Zolberg Student Scholars Award (2016).

Teaching: Courses include Immigration, Field Methods, Race and Ethnicity, and Introductory Sociology. Active in promoting qualitative research methodologies, as reflected in her blog post, Good Qualitative Research: Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Affiliations: Member of the American Sociological Association, Southwestern Social Science Association, and IMISCOE. Engages in public scholarship through media appearances and accessible writing.