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María Isabel Ayala is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University and former Director of the Chicano/Latino Studies Program. Her research focuses on the intra-group diversity within Latinx populations, exploring the unique and complex racialization and socio-demographic experiences that shape their behaviors. Maria adopts strength-based approaches to understand the roles of Latinx identities in reconstructing social structures while highlighting agentive behaviors and cultures within physical, symbolic, and social spaces. Her commitment to humanistic social justice and inclusivity influences her research, teaching, and leadership endeavors. Maria has been recognized as a 2022-2023 OFASD Leadership Fellow and a 2020-21 Fellow of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program, underscoring her dedication to academic excellence and leadership in her field.
Department of Psychology