Lisa M. Martinez

Lisa M. Martinez is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Denver, affiliated with the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. She is also a faculty member of the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of (in)Equality (IRISE), the DU Latino Center for Community Engagement and Scholarship (DULCCES), and the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES) program. Her research focuses on Latino political participation, immigration policies, and the socio-legal trajectories of undocumented youth.

Dr. Martinez holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Arizona (2004), an MA (2000), and a BA (1998) from the University of Texas. Her work has been published in journals like Social Forces, Mobilization, and Law & Policy. She is currently completing a book manuscript examining the effects of federal and state legal reforms on undocumented youth and young adults.

Her research interests include immigration, Latina/o/x sociology, and social inequality. She explores themes such as undocumented youth mobilization, the impact of policy on marginalized communities, and educational access for marginalized groups. Recent work analyzes deportation anxieties, educational pipelines for undocumented students, and racial dynamics in romantic relationships.

Lisa Martinez is actively involved with professional organizations like the American Sociological Association and the National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies. She emphasizes interdisciplinary collaborations and community-engaged scholarship in her academic practice.