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.
  • Harris, D. A., Martinez, G. P., Romero, R., & Watt, T. T. (n.d.). Incorporating Community Voices into Data Dashboard Creation: A Case Study of the State of Texas Mental Health Dashboard. Community Mental Health Journal.
  • Romero, R. (2021). Gracious Space: Developing Community, Taking Risks, and Expanding Socio-emotional Awareness in the Classroom. Pedagogies: An International Journal.
  • 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
  • Romero, R. (2019). Taking Back the Boulevard: Art, Activism, and Gentrification in Los Angeles. Social Forces. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soz062
  • Romero, R., & Harris, D. A. (2019). Who Speaks For (and Feeds) the Community?: Competing Definitions of “Community” in the Austin, TX Urban Farm Debate. City & Community, 18(4), 1162–1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/cico.12416
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

    Center for Diversity and Gender Studies Advisory Council

  2. Reviewer / Referee

    Teaching Sociology

  3. Reviewer / Referee

    Journal of Urban Affairs

  4. Member

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

  5. Member

    Rubric Review Committee (RRC)

  6. Member

    Faculty Senate Liaison

  7. View all activities