Bertin Solis (l) with a student in the UCSB McNair Scholars Program, a program that supports undergraduate students historically underrepresented in higher education pursue research and Ph.D.s. Solis was part of the program as an undergrad and now serves as a graduate mentor.
This week we caught up with Bertin Solis, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education at UC Santa Barbara with an emphasis in Culture and Development working with his advisor Professor Richard Duran. Solis earned a BA in Sociology and an M.A. in Education from UC Santa Barbara. His doctoral research investigates how community college Latinx students develop aspirations for college and careers and how they experience the transition to a 4-year public research university. He employs a sociocultural perspective to understand how cultural resources, values, relationships, and challenges operating in students' lives support or hinder their educational progress. Bertin is also interested in the following research areas: academic achievement and motivation, higher education access and completion of historically underrepresented students, mentoring practices, critical pedagogy, and the civic engagement and literacy practices of immigrant populations. (Note this 5?s format is taken from one of the School's internal communications, and is meant to help the Gevirtz community get to know itself better.)
GGSE: Who do you most admire (living or dead)?
Solis: I admire resilient people and those who are committed to making the world a better place.
GGSE: What is your favorite place in Santa Barbara?
Solis: Anywhere with good food. Mony’s Mexican Food is the spot!
GGSE: When (besides now) would you like to live?
Solis: In the future. I am excited for new technological changes that can improve lives.
GGSE: Where (besides Santa Barbara) would you want to live if money/job were not an issue?
Solis: San Diego.
GGSE: Why do you do the job you do?
Solis: I enjoy mentoring students and I believe that education can serve as a vehicle for social change.