The Emery Stoops & Joyce King Stoops Dean and Distinguished Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education. A renowned sociologist, scholar, and speaker, his specialty is examining how social, economic, and demographic conditions shape schools and student outcomes, particularly in urban environments. He has held influential positions at UCLA, NYU, Harvard, and UC Berkeley, and founded UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools. Noguera has authored over 15 books and hundreds of articles, with works such as The Trouble With Black Boys and A Search for Common Ground solidifying his role as one of the nation’s leading voices on equity in education.

Beyond academia, Noguera is a trusted advisor to policymakers and communities nationwide, serving on national commissions and task forces, including President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity for Hispanics. He is a member of both the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has been recognized with numerous awards and honorary doctorates. His forward-thinking vision emphasizes that schools must not only respond to systemic inequities but reimagine what education can be—transforming “normal” into something far more just and effective for all students.