Rebecca Angela Ruiz

Rebecca Angela Ruiz's whose dedication to criminology and public policy has opened doors to incredible opportunities.

Rebecca graduated from the University of South Florida with both a B.A. in Criminology in 2020 and an M.A. in Criminology in 2022. During her time at USF, Rebecca founded the Social Action Group in Criminal Justice (SAGCJ), a student organization she is proud to see still thriving. 

In Fall 2022, Rebecca joined the Department of Criminology, Law & Society at UC Irvine, as a fully-funded PhD student. Her research interests focus on labor trafficking, immigration, public policy, and critical criminology, and her work has already been published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 

Most recently, Rebecca had the honor of visiting The White House as a Research Fellow for Esperanza United, where she attended a meeting with the Gender Policy Council for the Biden-Harris administration. This incredible experience has deepened her commitment to advocating for vulnerable populations.

In addition to her academic work, Rebecca is a dedicated advocate for graduate students. She currently serves as the Vice President of External Affairs for the Associated Graduate Students, UC Irvine, where she advocates for the needs of graduate and professional students on the local, state, and federal levels. She is also a board member of the University of California Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC), a non-profit organization representing graduate and professional students across all 10 UC campuses.

Rebecca’s passion for research, advocacy, and leadership continues to shape her path, and we are incredibly proud of her many achievements. We look forward to seeing all that she will continue to accomplish in the field of criminology and beyond!