Rachel Salas

Rachel Salas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Literacy Studies within the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her expertise centers on academic literacy for English Language Learners (ELLs) and preparing educators for culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
• M.A., Catholic University of America
• B.A., Loyola Marymount University

Dr. Salas's research focuses on sociocultural aspects of language and literacy development, educational equity for ELLs and at-risk students, and the intersection of race, culture, and language in educational settings. She investigates cognitive-linguistic demands of academic literacy while integrating science and technology through initiatives like elementary robotics clubs that provide STEM opportunities via First Lego League competitions.

Her scholarly output (2019-2001) reveals sustained commitment to critical race theory in teacher education, literacy instruction for diverse learners, and children's literature analysis. Key trends include classroom equity practices, teacher dispositions toward diversity, representations of immigration in young adult fiction, and multimodal approaches for ELLs across content areas.

Dr. Salas teaches adolescent literacy and children's literature courses. While specific graduate advisees aren't listed, her mentorship extends to elementary robotics teams. Her community engagement includes co-coaching robotics competitions that develop students' academic, social, and technical skills through hands-on STEM experiences.