Damaris Serrano, an associate professor of Spanish at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, has won the Ricardo Miro Prize from the National Institute of Culture in her native Panama. Professor Serrano was honored for her essay, “Panama: Retelling History/Stories of a Nation in Diaspora.” The paper described the experiences of the descendents of Africans living in Panama, the Caribbean, and the United States. She paid particular attention to those descendents of Africans who worked to build the transcontinental railroad in the United States and those who were involved in the construction of the Panama Canal.
Professor Serrano’s essay will be published in a book, scheduled to be released in December 2014. She also received a $15,000 cash prize. This is the second time Professor Serrano has won the award.
Dr. Serrano is a graduate of the University of Panama. She holds a master’s degree in comparative literature and a Ph.D. in Hispanic cultural studies from Michigan State University.