María G. Rendón

María G. Rendón is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at the University of California, Irvine's School of Social Ecology, with a courtesy appointment in Sociology and Chicano/Latino Studies. She directs the Ph.D. program in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy and maintains active research leadership through the Rendon Urban Research Lab.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Policy, Harvard University
• Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Political Science, University of California, Irvine

Professor Rendón's research examines how spatial inequality and urban neighborhoods shape Latino immigrant integration, particularly for second-generation youth. Her work spans immigrant integration, urban poverty, segregation, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and social mobility, with emphasis on how community institutions buffer neighborhood challenges. As a first-generation scholar from South Los Angeles, her personal background deeply informs her commitment to addressing structural barriers for underrepresented minorities.

Her acclaimed book Stagnant Dreamers: How the Inner City Shapes the Integration of Second-Generation Latinos (2019) established foundational insights through longitudinal ethnography, while current projects include historical analysis of Mexican integration in Southern California and STEM disparity research. Her publications appear in City and Community, Social Problems, and the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.

Scientific Awards:

• Robert E. Park Award (Community and Urban Sociology section)
• Distinguished Contribution to Research Book Award (Latina/o Sociology)
• Honorable Mention for Thomas and Znaniecki Best Book Award (International Migration)
• Pierre Bourdieu Book Award Finalist (Sociology of Education)
• International Latino Book Award Finalist

Professor Rendón actively leads research collaborations addressing racial/ethnic disparities in STEM fields and Latino student success pathways across UC campuses. Her work bridges academic research with practical interventions for social mobility, informed by her background as a child of Mexican immigrants.

She directs the Rendon Urban Research Lab and contributes to the Latina Futures 50 Lab, focusing on community-engaged scholarship that connects neighborhood dynamics with institutional pathways for marginalized populations.