Laura Barbas-Rhoden

Laura Barbas-Rhoden is Professor of Spanish at Wofford College (joined 2000) in the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. She specializes in the environmental humanities with a focus on contemporary Ibero-American literatures and community-engaged public research.

Education

• Ph.D. Latin American Literature, Tulane University
• M.A. Latin American Studies (Central American focus), Tulane University
• B.A. Spanish, University of Georgia

Research Interests

Her work integrates environmental humanities, Latin American women’s writing, and place-based community research. She explores how narratives of environment, health, and migration intersect in Ibero-American contexts, employing transdisciplinary and collaborative methodologies.

Recent Publications & Community Projects

Recent outputs center on qualitative, community-based studies in Spartanburg, SC—examining kindergarten readiness, healthy eating, and Latinx inclusion. Student-faculty teams co-author open-access reports that inform local policy and practice.

Awards & Honors

• Covington Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015)
• Currie B. Spivey Award for exemplary volunteerism (2014)

Advising, Grants & Outreach

She mentors undergraduate research fellows funded by Wofford collaborative grants; students present nationally and internationally. She founded Alianza Hispana and serves on boards of United Way of the Piedmont, EMERGE Family Therapy Clinic, and Mary Black Foundation.

Labs & Teams

Long-standing leader of community-engaged learning course SPAN 303 (since 2002) and the transdisciplinary Environmental Humanities: Ibero-American World course (launched 2020). Ongoing facilitator of student-community research collectives in Spartanburg.