August 27, 2007

Edward Murguía, associate professor of sociology, has been appointed director of the Mexican American and U.S. Latino Research Center (MALRC). His term began March 1, 2007 and ends his tenure as interim director of the Center that began on January 1, 2005.

During his three-year term, Dr. Murguía will to work to enable faculty to conduct research on issues that particularly impact the quality of life of Mexican Americans and other Latinos in Texas and the U.S.

After earning his Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, Murguía taught at a number of recognized universities and then joined the sociology department at Texas A&M University in 1992.

With research specializations in drug use, marriage and family, and Latina/o sociology, Murguía’s publications on the Mexican American experience include studies of colonialism, intermarriage, generational differences, community, drug use and religion, “whiteness” and Mexican Americans, and skin color and its effect on life chances.

Murguía served as Director of the Minority Affairs Program at the Executive Office of the American Sociological Association in Washington, D.C. from 1998-2000, and directed ASA’s Minority Fellowship Program during those years. In 2004, he received the Distinguished Contributions to Scholarship and Research Award from the ASA Section on Latina and Latino sociology.

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