Theresa Rocha Beardall

Dr. Theresa Rocha Beardall is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Washington’s Department of Sociology, part of the College of Arts & Sciences. Her work focuses on race, law, inequality, policing, indigeneity, and tribal sovereignty. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Cornell University (2019), a J.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2014), and advanced degrees in American Indian Studies and Latinx Studies.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Sociology, Cornell University, 2019
• J.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2014
• M.A., American Indian Studies, UCLA, 2008
• B.A., Latinx Studies & American Indian Studies, San Francisco State University, 2005

Her research explores how legal systems perpetuate marginalization of racialized groups, with a focus on tribal sovereignty and policing in marginalized communities. Current projects include a book on the political economy of policing and a William T. Grant Foundation-funded study on tribal sovereignty’s role in protecting Native youth in child welfare systems.

No specific awards are listed, but her work aligns with advocacy for systemic equity. She advises through grants like the William T. Grant Foundation study. No labs or teams are explicitly mentioned in the text.