Clara E. Rodriguez

Clara E. Rodriguez is a Professor of Sociology at Fordham University's College at Lincoln Center. She holds adjunct roles and has been a Visiting Professor at Columbia University, MIT, and Yale University, as well as a Visiting Scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation and Senior Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Her research focuses on racial/ethnic classifications, media representation, and Latino studies, with a particular emphasis on census data analysis and demographic shifts.

Education: B.A. from City College, CUNY; M.A. from Cornell University; Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Research Interests: Her work explores Latino racial identity, media portrayals of diversity, and the intersection of demographic change and global media. She leads the 'Latino Images for the 21st Century' project with international collaborators and has advised on media projects like 'Sesame Street' and 'Dora, the Explorer.'

Awards:

• American Sociological Association’s Award for Distinguished Contributions to Latina/o Studies
• Fordham University’s Distinguished Teaching Award
• Sigma Nu National Jesuit Book Award (2007)
• Named 'One of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics' by Hispanic Business (2007)

Advising/Grants: Noted for mentorship through courses like Senior Research Seminar; grants include collaborative projects on media and census research. Former Dean of Fordham’s College of Liberal Studies.

Labs/Teams: Collaborations with German researchers, Mexican scholars, and U.S. institutions in Latino media representation projects.