Victor Garcia

Victor Garcia is a Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Director of the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Research and Training Institute (MARTI). He holds the title of Distinguished University Professor (2013–14), recognizing his exceptional contributions to teaching, research, and university leadership. Garcia specializes in transnational Latino communities, substance abuse among migrant workers, and educational equity for Hispanic students.

Education: BA in Anthropology from University of California, Davis; MA in Latin American Studies from Stanford University; MA and PhD in Anthropology from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Research Focus: Garcia’s work examines the social and health challenges faced by Latino immigrants, particularly in Pennsylvania’s mushroom industry. His studies have been featured in PBS documentaries and informed policy initiatives. He has secured over $1.5M in grants, including NIH funding, and authored 27 publications and five book chapters.

Awards: Alongside the Distinguished University Professor title, Garcia received IUP’s Outstanding Researcher Award (2008) and Outstanding Achievement in Research Award (2001). His leadership includes roles on NIH review panels and NSF fellowship committees.

Teaching & Outreach: Garcia integrates research into pedagogy, developing courses on Latin America and Latino communities. He founded Caring About Latino Student Achievement, a pioneering retention program, and advocates for diversity initiatives at IUP.

Future Work: Plans include publishing findings on substance abuse treatment programs in transnational Mexican communities and strengthening MARTI’s addiction research mission through grants.