Mario Javier Chavez
Mario was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and raised in Canutillo, a small colonia located in El Paso County, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with bachelors, and then a masters degree, in the department of Sociology. At the University of New Mexico Mario is a PhD student in the department of Sociology and a Doctoral Fellowship recipient at the Center for Social Policy. His experience as an immigrant and as a first-generation college student has fueled his passion for unpacking the role that racial bias plays in various institutions. Specifically, Mario's research focuses on how racial bias influences decision making by actors in institutional settings, and how those decisions influence whether Persons of Color receive either medicalized or punitive alternatives, as can be the case in school and court settings. Mario has had the privilege of working with the Immigrant Wellbeing Project and various community organizations while at UNM and looks forward to using the skills that he is gaining as an Evaluation Lab fellow to further their impact. After graduation, Mario would love to join a department that encourages balanced research, teaching, mentoring, and community engagement and/or impact.
