Blooms of Diversity

Like many USC College scholars, doctoral student Hernan Ramirez (left) studies a subject close to his heart. His dissertation focuses on immigrant gardeners in L.A. Here he stands in front of his family's South Gate home with his father, Antipatro Ramirez, a professional gardener for 36 years. Photo credit: Brian Morri/211 Photography Click here for high-resolution photo.

On the first day of Hernan Ramirez’s field research into the workplace culture of immigrant gardeners, an enraged Westwood homeowner stormed from his house, unleashed a litany of expletives and threatened to sue.

His target was the gardener who, while trimming ivy at the house, accidentally cut a water hose, shutting off the air conditioning.

“The man came out of the house and went ballistic,” recounted Ramirez, a third-year doctoral student in sociology at USC College. “I was nervous, but the worker took it in stride.”

Ramirez’s research into Mexican immigrant gardeners in Los Angeles comes directly from his own experience. His father, Antipatro, migrated from Mexico and has been a gardener — jardinero — in the Los Angeles area for 36 years.

“This is my life story,” said Ramirez on a recent Sunday, while helping cultivate the English primroses and gardenias at his parents’ South Gate home. “This is my father’s life story. As the son of a Mexican immigrant gardener, it’s a subject I can put my heart into.”

Ramirez’s research is just one example of how a diverse faculty and student body expands scholarship by bringing new understanding to traditionally unexplored areas.

“The concepts that scholars develop are influenced not only by our academic training, but by our own particular biographies — by who we are,” said Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, professor of sociology and Ramirez’s thesis adviser.

“If research in sociology were to be done only by a very homogenous group ... it would be more difficult to have research projects that look into topics like gender and immigration,” she said, “or projects that really interrogate questions of race and gender.”

Peter Starr, dean of the College, concurs, adding that, in an ideal world, to properly mentor students and nurture new scholars, the faculty would mirror the diversity of the student body.

“In some fields, the lack of diversity is a vicious cycle,” Starr said. “Students who are talented in a field go to classes and they do not see people who look like themselves. And they say, ‘Hmm, why is that? Maybe people like me are not welcome in this field.’ It makes them much less likely to get into the field.”

Elena Pierpaoli, associate professor of physics and astronomy, said this problem is particularly prevalent with women in the sciences.

“Women in physics, especially, are very much underrepresented,” Pierpaoli said. “If you don’t have female scientists, then you’re discouraging more participation by women. Essentially, you’re giving up on half of your student population.

“The best female students in the sciences often end up doing something else,” she added, “when they could possibly have been the best researchers in the field.”

In addition to role modeling, another significant benefit of a diverse faculty is enriched research and scholarship.

For example, when Hondagneu-Sotelo began her studies 20 years ago, few were conducting extensive research on undocumented immigration, settlement and employment of Latinas.

“I consider myself Latina; my mother is from Chile,” said Hondagneu-Sotelo, who is fluent in Spanish. “The whole topic of immigration, work and gender interests me because my mother came here as a domestic worker.

“In the mid-80s, Mexican immigration was not a popular research topic in sociology,” she added. “It was not seen as a legitimate field of study, but then add gender to it and it was seen as illegitimate or, at best, innovative.”

Despite obstacles, she persevered.

College sociologist Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo leads a weekly seminar with graduate students who study an array of social issues and draw research ideas from their varied backgrounds. Scholars' rich life experiences, she says, give them "the passion and particular insights to delve deeply into original and innovative projects." Photo credit: Phil Channing Click here for high-resolution photo.

It is natural for one to be drawn to subjects related to one’s own personal history.

Take for example 21-year-old sophomore Michael J.W. Yun, who is taking a political science course in the College’s Team Research Communities program, where undergraduates work with a professor on yearlong research projects.

Yun, who was born and raised in South Korea, began attending school as an international student in Southern California in seventh grade. Each summer, he returned home to Seoul. When his family immigrated to the United States late last year and settled in San Jose, he became a permanent resident.

Fluent in Korean, English, French and Chinese, Yun chose to study the residents of Monterey Park, which is largely Asian-American, and Chino Hills, which is predominantly white.

In contrasting the two communities, he wanted to understand the factors that led to the socioeconomic disparities between Monterey Park and the slightly more affluent Chino Hills. Yun was familiar with Chino Hills, where his uncle has lived for nearly a decade.

“I had heard a lot from my uncle regarding the city and the housing configuration,” Yun said. “So I already knew there was class segregation in the town.”

When classroom discussion turned to immigration laws, Yun had firsthand experience. He’s interested in studying racial relations within cities and believes he brings a fresh perspective.

“I came here as an outsider,” Yun said. “So I offer an outsider’s perspective on research.”

Jefferey Sellers, associate professor of political science, is leading Yun’s research team. He said students such as Yun often bring a hard-earned cultural sensitivity to whatever subject they study.

“A student from a diverse background such as Michael’s is more likely to see nuances and the complex cultural interplay, not just in cultural issues,” he said, “but also in politics, business, housing and other issues across disciplines.”