Nidia Bañuelos

Nidia Bañuelos is an Assistant Professor in the Liberal Arts & Applied Studies department within the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She specializes in adult, continuing, and higher education, focusing on program design for working adults and the cultural assets of marginalized student populations. Her research integrates historical perspectives with contemporary institutional challenges faced by non-traditional learners.

• PhD in Sociology, University of Chicago (2016)
• BA in Sociology and Public Policy, Stanford University (2007)

Her primary research initiative, the Networks and Cultural Assets (NCA) Project, explores how community cultural wealth (CCW) and social networks influence academic success among Latine STEM students. This NSF-funded collaboration with the University of Texas System LSAMP employs mixed-methods to analyze network structures and their impact on STEM identity and career trajectories. The project aims to inform asset-based institutional policies and support systems for underrepresented students.

Her awards include the Robert E. Park Lectureship (2015), NSF grants (2022–2026), and the Morgridge Fellowship (2022–2023). She has also held prestigious fellowships such as the Social Sciences Five-Year Fellowship at the University of Chicago.

In advising and grants, she leads the NCA Project as Principal Investigator and collaborates with UT System LSAMP to institutionalize equity-driven STEM programs. Her work bridges academic research with actionable strategies for educational equity.

Her research team actively engages with local educators to translate findings into culturally-responsive programming. The NCA Project’s longitudinal design combines CCW theory with network analysis to identify systemic barriers and opportunities for marginalized student groups.