Anzaldúa’s conocimiento framework offers an opportunity to dismantle the dominant narratives and center the complexities of the experiences and lived realities of Latinx engineers as a way to confront deficit models. This presentation will explore Anzaldúa’s seven-stage conocimiento analysis and the process of conflicting identities that, although distressful, contribute to the generation of new understanding, elevated consciousness, and agency among Latinx engineers. It positions Latinxs as those who not only live between worlds, but as individuals who have the capacity to help others caught between worlds to create their own bridges for wholeness and agency. When researchers engage in research activities in engineering education, it is important to consider these frameworks and the individuals constructing this knowledge, not because of what it means for the researcher, but because it validates and authenticates the individuals involved in those spaces.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Joel Alejandro (Alex) Mejia is an assistant professor in the Department of Integrated Engineering at the University of San Diego. His research has contributed to the integration of critical theoretical frameworks and Chicano Cultural Studies to investigate and analyze existing deficit models in engineering education. Dr. Mejia’s work also examines how asset-based models impact the validation and recognition of students and communities of color as holders and creators of knowledge. His current work seeks to analyze and describe the tensions, contradictions, and cultural collisions many Latinx students experience in engineering through testimonios. He is particularly interested in approaches that contribute to a more expansive understanding of engineering in sociocultural contexts, the impact of critical consciousness in engineering practice, and development and implementation of culturally responsive pedagogies in engineering education.