Biography and expertise
I am a critical human geographer with expertise in urban geography, cultural geography, and political ecology. I use a range of qualitative methods to examine the dynamic relationships between environmental politics, economy, and culture in the context of urban governance and change, particularly as experienced by local communities.
Education
Doctorate Degree
PhD in Geography
Rutgers State Univ New Brunswick, 2015
Master's Degree
MA in Geography
Rutgers State Univ New Brunswick, 2012
Bachelor's Degree
BA in Arts and Sciences
Univ of Oklahoma Norman Campus, 2007
Featured grants
- Sarmiento, Eric Ryan. Documenting and defending Latin placemaking in San Marcos, Texas, Research Enhancement Program, Texas State University, $7887. (Submitted: October 2022, Funded: January 2023 - Present). Grant.
- Sarmiento, Eric Ryan. Co-producing knowledge of chronic flooding for community resilience, NAS Gulf Research Program, Federal, $76000. (Submitted: January 15, 2021, Funded: June 2021 - June 2023). Grant.
- Sarmiento, Eric Ryan. The Transformative Potential of Urban Food Hubs in the Gentrifying City, Texas State University, $8000. (Funded: January 2020 - Present). Grant.
- Ashford-Hanserd, Shetay Nicole (Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Sarmiento, Eric Ryan (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Rayburn, Steven W (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Myles, Colleen Crystal (Co-Principal), Percent Contribution: %25, Davio, Rebecca Lynn (Supporting), Fox, Rebekah L (Supporting), Guajardo, Miguel (Supporting), Valencia, Louie Dean (Supporting), Valle, Rosina Ruiz (Supporting). #ReclaimDunbar: A community needs assessment for the Dunbar arts, cultural and innovation district, Multidisciplinary Team Formation (MTI) Grant, Texas State University, Texas State University, $1000. (Funded: July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2019). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Sarmiento, E. R. (2026). Book Review: Houston and the Permanence of Segregation: An Afropessimist Approach to Urban History. Texas Books In Review.
- Sarmiento, E. R. (2026, July). Book Review: Solidarity Cities: Confronting Racial Capitalism, Mapping Transformation. The AAG Review of Books.
- Sarmiento, E. R. (2025). Diverse Food Economies. In Encyclopedia of Food and Society. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
- Sarmiento, E. R. (2025). Making and unmaking cooperative subjects in the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. Journal of Cooperative Studies, 58(3), 54–65.
- Moore, B., Sarmiento, E. R., & Solem, M. (2025). Toward a Critical Geography Education: Black Feminism, Blues Epistemology, and Fugitivity. Journal of Geography, 124(5), 161–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2025.2559321
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Nominee: Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, Texas State University. 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: 2020 Teaching Award of Honor, Texas State Alumni Association. 2020
- Award / Honor Recipient: Conference Travel Award, Urban Geography Speciality Group, Association of American Geographers. 2014
- Award / Honor Recipient: Conference Travel Awards, Graduate School, Rutgers University. 2009 - 2014
- Award / Honor Recipient: Graduate Teaching Excellence Award, Geography Department, Rutgers University. 2013
Featured service activities
- Member
National Council, American Association of Geographers
- Reviewer / Referee
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
- Reviewer / Referee
University of Minnesota Press
- Coordinator / Organizer
Session organizer and chair, Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers
- Member
Board of Directors, Race, Ethnicity, and Place Conference
- Coordinator / Organizer
Community Economies Network North American Regional Node