Rodolfo Solís
University of California, Los Angeles Phone: (310) 825-4331
4289 Bunche Hall Email: RSolis1220@g.ucla.edu
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1472
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Expected 2026
Dissertation: Sorted by Belief and Belonging: Latino Republicans in a Polarized Era
Committee: Efrén Pérez (Co-Chair), Chris Zepeda-Millán (Co-Chair), Amada Armenta, Matt Barreto
A.M., Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 2021
Course in Qualitative Field Methods, London School of Economics and Political Science
A.B., Political Science (magna cum laude), Wabash College, 2018
Fall 2016, Visiting Student, University of Virginia, Valencia, Spain
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Latino Politics, Partisanship and Political Identity, Race/Ethnicity, Political Behavior, Polarization, Political Psychology, and Qualitative Methods
PUBLICATIONS
Solis, Rodolfo and Shamira Gelbman. 2019. “Voting Rights Act of 1975.” Latinos in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Latinos as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders, edited by Jessica L. Lavariega, ABC CLIO.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
Under Review
“In Their Own Words: An In-Depth Look at Ideological Sorting, Partisan Polarization, and Latino Republicans”
“What Can Issue Salience Teach Us About Inter-Minority Solidarity? Panel Evidence on Black, Latino, Asian, and Multiracial Adults From the 2024 Presidential Campaign” (with Efrén Pérez, Seth K. Goldman, Yuen J. Huo, Tatishe Nteta, and Linda R. Tropp)
In Production
“How Social Ties with Undocumented Immigrants Inform Latinx Identity Formation.” (with Ana Oaxaca and Marcel F. Roman)
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2025 UCLA Latino Rapid Response Award
2024 UCLA Dissertation Year Award
2024 Prestage-Cook Travel Award, Southern Political Science Association
2024 UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Research Award
2024 Diversity Fellowship Program Travel Grant, American Political Science Association
2023 UCLA Fellowship in Political Psychology
2023 UCLA Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship
2021 American Political Science Association Fund for Latino Scholarship
2021 UCLA Fellowship in Political Psychology
2021 UCLA Graduate Research Mentorship Award
2019 UCLA Graduate Research Mentorship Award
2018 UCLA Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship
2018 The F. Michael Cassel Political Science Award, Wabash College
2016 The F. Michael Cassel Political Science Award, Wabash College
2016 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, U.S. Department of State
2014 Michael & Susan Dell Scholarship, Dell Scholars Program
PRESENTATIONS
“How Social Ties with Undocumented Immigrants Inform Latinx Identity Formation.” Presented at UCLA’s Race, Ethnicity, Politics, and Society Lab, 2020.
“How Social Identity Threats Drive Latino Support for Nativist Policies and Candidates.” Presented at Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration Lab, UCLA, 2019
“Refugees, Narco-Refugees, and Displaced Peoples: Violence and Its Effects on Immigration Patterns.” Midwest Political Science Association, 2017
“Group Cohesion Among the Latino Pan-Ethnic Community in the face of Anti-Immigrant Threats.” American Political Science Association, 2017
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2020 Teaching Assistant, Introduction to American Politics, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer, Ajax Peris
2021 Teaching Assistant, The American Presidency, UCLA Political Science; Associate Professor, Scott James
2021 Teaching Assistant, U.S. Latino Politics, UCLA Political Science; Full Professor, Matt Barreto
2022 Reader, Autocratic Relations, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer Joseph Perry
2022 Reader, International Relations Theory, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer Joseph Perry
2023 Teaching Assistant, Political Psychology, UCLA Political Science; Full Professor, Efren Perez
2023 Reader, Autocratic Relations, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer Joseph Perry
2023 Teaching Assistant, The American Presidency, UCLA Political Science; Associate Professor, Scott James
2023 Reader, International Relations Theory, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer Joseph Perry
2024 Instructor on Record, U.S. Latino Politics, UCLA Political Science
2024 Reader, International Relations Theory, UCLA Political Science; Lecturer Joseph Perry
2025 Instructor on Record, U.S. Latino Politics, UCLA Political Science
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2022 Research Assistant to Professor Efrén Pérez, Department of Political Science, UCLA
2019 Research Assistant to Professor Efrén Pérez, Department of Political Science, UCLA
2017 Research Fellow, Ralph Bunche Summer Institute, Duke University
2016 Research Fellow, NSF-REU On Conflict Management and Peace Science, UNT
MEMBERSHIPS
American Political Science Association, Southern Political Science Association, Western Political Science Association
SERVICE
2021 Panelist, Prospective Student Week, Department of Political Science, UCLA
2022 Co-Coordinator, Prospective Student Week, Department of Political Science, UCLA
SKILLS AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING
Software: Dedoose, R, LaTeX, R Markdown
Languages: Spanish (Fluent)
Methods: Qualitative: in-depth interviews, focus groups; Quantitative: survey design, data analysis
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Efrén Pérez
Professor of Political Science & Psychology, UCLA
perezeo@ucla.edu
Chris Zepeda-Millán
Professor of Political Science & Public Policy, UCLA
czm@ucla.edu
Amada Armenta
Associate Professor of Urban Planning & Public Policy, UCLA
armenta@ucla.edu
Matthew Barreto
Professor of Political Science & Chicana(o) Studies, UCLA
barretom@ucla.edu