Ruby Ramírez, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor of Spanish, Department of World Languages and Literatures
Born and raised in East Los Angeles and proud to have graduated from the CSU system herself, Ruby Ramírez is one of the newest faculty members to join the SJSU Department of World Languages and Literatures. Coming to the SJSU community from Santa Clara University, and prior to that from Utah State University, Ruby is excited to share her experiences with her students, and to encourage, inspire, and motivate them the same way that her professors did with her during her time at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Desiring to help her students become better critical readers, thinkers, and writers, Ruby encourages engagement with different cultural texts that act as lenses for intellectual engagement. Ruby says, “As a teacher, I strive to foster an open and respectful attitude toward cultural differences by enhancing the multiple perspectives that a diverse student population and community embody.” She firmly believes that faculty create effective learning environments when they are actively aware of students’ social, political, and cultural contexts.
This is reflective of the research she has done over the course of her academic career. After graduating from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature and in Chicana/o Studies, followed by an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Ruby went on to earn a Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of California, Riverside. Specializing in 19th-21st Century Spanish Peninsular Literature and Culture, her dissertation explores different notions of identity in contemporary Spanish narrative, film and theater with a focal point.
Ruby’s interest in diverse perspectives not only shapes her teaching philosophy; it also permeates her life outside the classroom. Ruby loves finding new materials to analyze, especially non-traditional experimental short films. She enjoys going to book and film festivals, and is always excited to see upcoming authors and filmmakers present and promote their works. She hopes to discover even more as she continues her academic career at SJSU, following the philosophy of Bell Hooks: “My hope emerges from those places of struggle where I witness individuals positively transforming their lives and the world around them. Educating is a vocation rooted in hopefulness. As teachers we believe that learning is possible, that nothing can keep an open mind from seeking after knowledge and finding a way to know.”
By Kaitlynn Magnuson
