Armando A. Arias

Armando A. Arias is a Professor and founding faculty member at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), where he also served as Founding Dean of the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Founding Dean of the School of Creative Arts & Technologies, and Founding Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. His career spans over 40 years in academia, administration, and social entrepreneurship, with key roles in establishing CSUMB and other educational institutions in the U.S., Mexico, Zambia, and beyond.

He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology (Social Psychology) from UC San Diego. His research focuses on neuroscience-AI intersections, education equity, and environmental policy, including pioneering work on pre-thought modeling and dementia solutions. He co-founded the Leon Panetta Institute for Public Policy and the Big Sur Environmental Institute, leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration to address global challenges.

Awards include the 2020 International Latino Literary Book Award for Theorizing Cesar Chavez and recognition for his role in BESTNET, an early educational technology initiative. He has authored over 130 publications, including books on AI in healthcare, STEM education equity, and Latin American international cooperation.