Dr. Theresa C. Suarez is an Associate Professor of Sociology at CSUSM. Professor Suarez earned a Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego in 2008, an MA in Ethnic Studies from UCSD in 2002, and an MA in Asian American Studies from UCLA in 1997. As a first-generation student, she is most pleased of earning a BA in American Studies from UC Santa Cruz in 1995 with support from the Affirmative Action and Educational Opportunity Programs since middle school.

My areas of research broadly stated are the racialized militarization of gender, family, and migration in the Pacific.

Academic Specializations

• Asian American Studies
• Critical Race Studies
• Ethnic Studies
• Filipino/x American Studies
• Gender, Family, & Migration
• Postcolonial Studies
• Transnational Studies
• U.S. Militarization in the Pacific

Research

Suarez, Theresa C. 2010. “Militarized Filipino Masculinity and the Language of Citizenship in San Diego.” In Militarized Currents: Towards a Decolonized Future in Asia and the Pacific, edited by Setsu Shigematsu and Keith L. Camacho, 181 - 204. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press.

Suarez, Theresa C. 2012.  “Teaching Race/Ethnic Studies with GIS.” In CSU Geospatial Review. San Francisco State University: CSU GIS Specialty Center.

Suarez, Theresa C. 2014. “Faith, Family, and Filipino American Community Life.” In Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review.

Suarez, Theresa C. 2014. “Filipino Americans.” In The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism.Blackwell Press.

Suarez, Theresa C. 2015. “(De)Militarizing Domesticity: Reconstructing Marriage, Gender, and Family Relations among Immigrant Filipino Navy Couples.” In Women, Gender, and Families of Color. (Vol. 3, Issue 2) Champaign: University of Illinois Press.

Suarez, Theresa C. 2015. “Filipino Daughtering Narratives: An Epistemology of U.S. Militarization from Inside.” In Intersections: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, edited by Victor Bascara, Keith Camacho, and Elizabeth DeLoughrey. Australian National University Press.

Since 2008, Dr. Suarez has taught the following courses at CSUSM from an interdisciplinary perspective. Several courses integrate geospatial analysis to advance critical thinking. Also, Dr. Suarez advises graduate students in the Master of Arts in Sociological Practice (MASP) degree program.

Recognition

• 2022 Microcredential in Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners in Your Online Course (Association of College and University Educators)
• 2020 Microcredential in Promoting Active Learning Online (Association of College and University Educators)
• 2019 CSU Chancellor’s Office Quality Learning and Teaching Certification (SOC 495)
• 2018 CSUSM Quality Learning and Teaching Certification (SOC 311 & SOC 495)

Upper Division Sociology

• SOC 311 Inequality
• SOC 313 Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
• SOC 315 Gender in Society
• SOC 317 Youth and Society
• SOC 349 Asian American & Pacific Islander Communities
• SOC 360 Qualitative Methods
• SOC 375 Race and Identity
• SOC 450 Perspectives on Militarism
• SOC 480 Capstone Course in Sociological Research
• SOC 495 Capstone Course in Community Service

• 2023             [IP]           Team Lead, CSUSM APIDA Student Success Initiative, CSU APIDA Collective Funding Program
• 2023             [IP]           Team Lead (non-profit partnerships), Stop the Hate, CA Dept. of Social Services with the Commission on Asian & Pacific Islander American Affairs            
• 2023             $5K          Lead (non-profit partnership with Che’lu), Community Engaged Scholarship Grant Program, CSUSM Community Relations & University Engagement
• 2023             $0            No award, Kaiser Community Health Grant Program
• 2022-2023   $25k        Team Lead, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Equity in Action, Student Success Network in the CSU
• 2022-2023   $10k        Lead (non-profit partnership for public music education), Community Projects, Programs, and Services Program, City of San Diego
• 2021-2022   $25k        Lead (non-profit partnership for public music education), Neighborhood Reinvestment Program, SD County Board of Supervisors
• 2021-2022   $10k        Lead (non-profit partnership for public music education), Stimulus Grant Funding Program, SD County Board of Supervisors

• 2023-2024       Faculty Mentor, CSU Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program
• 2022-2023       Team Lead - CSUSM, NHPI Equity in Action, CSU Middle Leadership Academy, Student Success Network in the CSU
• 2022                 Team Lead (Fall) - CSUSM, CSU Student Success Analytics Program

University Service

• 2023                Member, Student Success Workgroup, Strategic Enrollment Plan, Office of the Provost and Office of Student Affairs
• 2022-IP            Faculty Fellow, Office of Inclusive Excellence
• 2022-IP            Member, President’s Inclusive Excellence Advisory Committee
• 2022-IP            Co-Chair, APIDA Student Success Initiative & Community Partnerships
• 2019-2022       Member, APIDA Student Success Workgroup
• 2019-2021       Member, Institutional Review Board (delete: “Current Member, Institutional Review Board”)

College Service

• 2017- IP           Member, RTP Committees, Departments of Ethnic Studies, Public Health, and Social Work

Department Service

• 2015-IP            Member, RTP Committees
• 2015-2023       Coordinator, Academic Internships/ Volunteer Opportunities
  2016-2020       Member, Faculty Search Committees
• 2014-2018       Member, Sociology RTP Standards Committee
• 2013-2018       Graduate Committee, MASP program