The Young Scholars Symposium is an annual ILS initiative that convenes scholars who are working on a dissertation, a book, or another research project related to Latinas and Latinos in the United States. Participants are chosen through a national call for applicants.
The symposium is co-hosted each year by a visiting senior scholar and Institute for Latino Studies Director Jason Ruiz, Professor of American Studies and Editor of American Quarterly. The 2026 senior scholar who will cohost the Symposium is Professor Chon A. Noriega, Distinguished Professor of Theatre, Film & Television at the University of California, Los Angeles. Selected participants will present a completed essay that will be reviewed by Professor Noriega and members of the Notre Dame faculty affiliated with ILS.
We are pleased to re-launch the Young Scholars Symposium for 2026 after a multi-year hiatus and expect it to be a richly rewarding experience for all participants.
This year, the cohort will meet from September 30th through October 2, 2026.