Patricia Tovar

Professor Patricia Tovar serves as Professor of Anthropology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the CUNY Graduate Center since 2008, with prior affiliations at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (2006-2008) and the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History. She has consulted for the Panamanian Government and Colombia's Colciencias.

Education:

• PhD in Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 1995
• MA in Urban Applied Anthropology, City College of New York, CUNY, 1987
• BA, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Her research centers on Human Rights and Gender-Based Violence in Latin American conflict zones, examining forced displacement, sexual health impacts, and gender disparities in science. Current work explores colonial-era women explorers, building on fieldwork across Colombia, Ecuador, Portugal, and the U.S. with indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.

Scientific Awards:

• Distinguished Fellow, Advanced Research Collaborative, CUNY Graduate Center (2014)

Dr. Tovar serves on LASA's Executive Board and co-edits Revista Colombiana de Antropologia, providing expert testimony on trauma, immigration, and gender justice while teaching core anthropology courses at both institutions.