Laura Valdiviezo, professor of education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, passed away on December 17. She was 56 years old.
Born in Lima, Peru, Dr. Valdiviezo earned her bachelor’s degree in education with a specialization in philosophy and social sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. She later earned a master’s degree in education from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and a doctorate in international educational development and policy studies from Columbia University’s Teachers College.
In 2007, Dr. Valdiviezo joined the University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty as an assistant professor in the College of Education. She ultimately rose to the rank of full professor in the department of teacher education and curriculum studies, which she chaired from 2016 to 2019. She also served as director of the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies. Dr. Valdiviezo had stints as a Chancellor’s Leadership Fellow and faculty fellow with the UMass Amherst Center for Racial Justice and Youth Engaged Research.
Dr. Valdiviezo’s scholarship focused on bilingual and intercultural education, indigenous knowledge, and language policy. As a leader in the broader field of educational ethnography, she served as editor-in-chief of Anthropology & Education Quarterly for five years. In 2020, she assumed the role of editor of the award-winning book series Language, Culture, and Teaching.