Lucila Ek

Lucila Ek is a Professor in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s College of Education and Human Development. Her research explores the intersections of language, literacy, and identity in Chican@/Latin@ immigrant communities, focusing on bridging formal and informal educational spaces like schools, homes, and churches.

• Education: Ph.D. in Urban Schooling from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

Her work employs sociocultural and cultural-historical activity theories to investigate how language ideologies shape identity formation and educational equity, particularly for bilingual Latinx youth and teacher candidates. She examines transnationalism, emotional dimensions of biliteracy, and partnerships like La Clase Mágica to integrate technology with community-based learning.

Lucila Ek’s recent publications highlight sociocultural approaches to mobile learning, biliteracy as emotional practice, and transformative pedagogies in bilingual education. Her research spans topics such as linguistic violence in teacher training, STEM engagement for underrepresented groups, and border-crossing politics in educational contexts.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Dr. Bertha Perez Distinguished Endowed Professorship

She actively bridges educational settings through ethnographic research, emphasizing the heterogeneity of Latino/a communities and the role of language varieties in constructing identities. Her projects aim to combat systemic inequities by reimagining pedagogical frameworks rooted in cultural and community relevance.