Dr. Robert Teranishi

Biography

Robert Teranishi is a Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the School of Education and Information Studies. He holds the Helen Morgan Chu Endowed Chair in Asian American Studies and directs the Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education. His research focuses on the causes and consequences of stratification in college opportunities, with a particular interest in the impact of higher education policy and practice on the mobility of marginalized and vulnerable communities. Teranishi's work has influenced federal, state, and institutional policies related to college access and completion. He has testified before Congress on several key education-related acts and served on multiple commissions, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission. Over his career, he has received national awards from various educational organizations and was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Board for the Institute of Education Sciences. He has a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Research Interests