Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments

Dr. Rachel Romero

  • Regents' Teacher - Sociology
Portrait of Dr. Rachel Romero

Biography and education

I was born and raised in Havana City, Cuba, and immigrated to the US as a teenager. Our family settled in a suburb outside of Dallas, and I have lived in Texas since. Currently, I live in Austin, where I enjoy spending time in the outdoors—parks, hikes, and city walks. I love summers, museums, yoga, sharing meals with family and friends, and the arts broadly defined. My husband is my favorite thinking-partner.

Ph.D. in Sociology, Texas A&M University - College Station
M.A. in Sociology, Texas A&M University - College Station
B.S. in Sociology, University of North Texas
B.S. in Spanish, University of North Texas

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • Harris, Deborah (Principal), Romero, Rachel (Co-Principal), Harris, Whitney (Co-Principal). Urban Farming and Gentrification in Austin, TX, Research Enhancement Program, Institutional (Higher Ed). (Submitted: December 1, 2014). Grant.
  • Romero, Rachel (Principal). Street Art and Gentrification in the City of Austin, Center for Social Inquiry, Texas State University, Institutional (Higher Ed). (Submitted: June 1, 2013). Grant.
  • Romero, R. (n.d.). Fostering Empathy and Critical Engagement with Aging: Outcomes of a Sensory Simulation. Journal of Experiential Education.
  • Romero, R. (2024). A pathway to self-awareness, empathy and vulnerability: exploring autoethnography as a method for undergraduate teaching. Teaching in Higher Education, 30(2), 412–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2024.2332269
  • Romero, R. (2021). Gracious Space: Developing Community, Taking Risks, and Expanding Socio-emotional Awareness in the Classroom. Pedagogies: An International Journal.
  • Romero, R. (2020). Poetic Transcription in the Sociology Classroom: Developing Empathy, Analytical Skills, Creativity, and Engagement. Teaching Sociology, 48(3), 211–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055x20923703
  • Harris, D. A., & Romero, R. (2019). Race, Four Farms, and a City: Color Blindness and the Austin, TX Commercial Farm Debate. Humanity and Society, 43(3), 227–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0160597618814880
View all scholarly/creative works
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Regents' Teacher Award. August 2020
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, Texas State University. August 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Liberal Arts Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching, College of Liberal Arts, Texas State University. 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: John R. Hood Honors Professor of the Year, Texas State University, Honors College. April 2018
  • Award / Honor Nominee: Presidential Award for Excellence in Service 2023. November 2023 - 2023
View all awards
  1. Member

    Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly Creative, Presidential Seminar Award and Denise M. Trauth Endowed Presidential Research Professorship

  2. Member

    Faculty Senate Liaison

  3. Reviewer / Referee

    Teaching Sociology

  4. Member

    Chair Hiring Committee

  5. Reviewer / Referee

    Journal of Urban Affairs

  6. Member

    Rubric Review Committee (RRC)

  7. View all activities