Suárez-Orozco Elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences 

Carola Suárez-Orozco, professor in residence and director of the Immigration Initiative at Harvard, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). The AAAS — which works across disciplines to advance the common good — has honored members whose work demonstrates excellence and leadership since 1781.

“I am deeply grateful and humbled to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,” said Suárez-Orozco. “While this honor recognizes my scholarly contributions, I believe it also affirms the urgency and centrality of the work to which I have dedicated my career: understanding and illuminating the experiences of immigrant-origin children, youth, and their families.”

A leading expert in the area of immigrant children, youth, and families and how immigrant student experiences in schools shape their development and educational opportunities, Suárez-Orozco’s work focuses on academic engagement and social belonging, typically using a mixed methods approach.

Suárez-Orozco first joined HGSE in 1994 as a visiting scholar, later serving as a research associate, lecturer, and then managing director for the Harvard Immigration Project from 1997 to 2002. She returned to the Ed School in 2022 as professor in residence and director of the Immigration Initiative at Harvard. An author of several books, including Children of Immigration and Learning a New Land, she is also the co-founder and chair of the board of directors of Re-Imagining Migration, an independent nonprofit focused on advancing the education and well-being of immigrant-origin youth.

“Today, more than one in four students in American schools are of immigrant origin,” she says. “At a time when the belonging and contributions of these young people are increasingly questioned and their place in our society is under threat, I am heartened that the academy has chosen to elevate this area of inquiry. I share this recognition with the communities, students, and colleagues who inspire and inform my work every day.”

This year’s class of nearly 250 new members represent 31 areas of expertise and includes 20 Harvard faculty members. Suárez-Orozco is one of seven new members elected in the field of education, which also includes Mary Helen Immordino Yang, Ed.M.’98, Ed.D.’05. Induction ceremonies for new members will take place in Cambridge in October.

“These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership, and persistence. They are a stellar testament to the power of knowledge to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding,” said academy president Laurie Patton. “We invite every new member to celebrate their achievement and join the Academy in our work to promote the common good.”

Suárez-Orozco joins HGSE faculty members Bridget Terry Long, Heather Hill, Danielle Allen, Susan Dynarski, Catherine Elgin, Howard Gardner, Paul Harris, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Richard Light, and Catherine Snow among AAAS's membership.