#  Fostering Interdisciplinary Research on Latin America: Meet the 2025–2026 DRCLAS Graduate Student Associates 

 





June 01, 2025

 

 

 ![SA Cohort 2025-2026](/sites/g/files/omnuum12451/files/2025-06/GSA%20Cohort%202025-2026.jpg)

 

At the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS), we are proud to support emerging scholars who are deepening understanding of the region through innovative and interdisciplinary research. One of the ways we do this is through the Graduate Student Associate (GSA) Program—an initiative that provides Harvard PhD students focused on Latin America with vital resources, shared space, and a dynamic intellectual community.

Each year, the GSA Program brings together a cohort of doctoral students whose research spans diverse fields—from education and literature to political economy and identity studies. Through regular gatherings, participation in DRCLAS-hosted events, and peer exchange, the program fosters rich dialogue and scholarly collaboration.

The 2025–2026 cohort exemplifies the range and depth of research that defines the GSA experience. Meet this year’s associates:

**Raúl Enrique Duarte González,** PhD candidate in Government and Economics, Political Economy & Government Program, Class of 2026, explores key questions at the intersection of political economy, development, and governance in Latin America. His research focuses on public service delivery, state capacity, corruption, and electoral integrity, employing tools such as applied machine learning and social network analysis to investigate how institutions perform—and sometimes fail—in complex political environments.

**Maricruz Vargas Ramírez,** PhD student in Education, concentration in Human Development, Learning, and Teaching, Class of 2028, studies the intersection of indigeneity, education, and migration. Using qualitative methods, she examines how school and out-of-school environments shape Indigenous language maintenance and identity development. Born and raised in Mexico City, Maricruz brings a deep personal and academic commitment to issues of linguistic and cultural preservation.

**Nicolás Riveros Medelius,** PhD candidate in Education, Class of 26, investigates how children and youth develop political awareness and agency. His mixed-methods research focuses on civic learning and interpersonal networks, exploring how young people understand and navigate political realities. His professional experience across Latin America and with organizations like J-PAL and Fe y Alegría enriches his academic inquiry.

**Maria Bovea-Pascual,** PhD candidate in Romance Languages and Literatures, Class of 2027, works at the nexus of queer theory, affect studies, and Latin American literature. Her dissertation explores how “concrete utopias” in literature and art function as sites of aesthetic resistance and political transformation—spaces where glamour and difference reimagine the future.

**Andrew J. Suárez,** PhD candidate in American Studies, Class of 2027, examines LGBTQ and feminist Chicano/a/x and Mexican activism through print culture. His work uncovers a vibrant tradition of alternative publishing—from newsletters to zines—that challenged dominant norms and envisioned liberatory futures. His research reflects a broader interest in revolutionary movements, diasporic identity, and archival ephemera.

The GSA Program provides more than just physical space; it creates an environment where graduate students engage in transformative conversations and build intellectual networks that extend across disciplines and borders.

This kind of cross-pollination is exactly what DRCLAS seeks to cultivate. By supporting early-career scholars and promoting interdisciplinary exchange, the GSA Program is helping to shape the next generation of Latin Americanists.



 

 

 



 

 

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