I grew up in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, a city nested in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. My academic journey started at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, where I got a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and discovered my passion for education and research. After I finished my undergraduate studies, I traveled to Spain to obtain a master’s degree in Political Science from Universidad de Salamanca.
This Fall, I will start a Ph.D. program at UCSB’s Department of History. My area of specialization will be Latin American History.
We got a chance to interview Eduardo a few weeks before they started at UCSB. Here is our short Q&A with Eduardo, who shares how they first became fascinated with their chosen discipline, why they chose UCSB, and what they're excited to accomplish on campus.
Q&A
My great-grandfathers were muleteers who dedicated their lives to transporting products from Quito to isolated settlements in the Amazon region. One of my grandparents was a shoemaker, and the other was an industrial worker at the first match factory in Quito. My grandmothers juggled their responsibilities as housewives with jobs as cooks and seamstresses. I grew up listening to the stories about my forebears and how their efforts improved life opportunities for me and my parents. I
treasured these stories and recognized their importance as a source of inspiration and a guide to understanding who I am and where I come from. I always thought the memory of my forefathers was only relevant to me and my family. However, thanks to history, I discovered how important the role of common people is in developing major
social and political processes. That is why I want to devote my doctoral research to developing a social history of the Ecuadorian army, emphasizing the role played by subaltern sectors of society within this institution.
I chose UCSB because of its vibrant and diverse History Department. Moreover, the Faculty involved in the area of Latin American History has research interests that align seamlessly with my academic objectives. Finally, although it may sound superficial, I have always wanted to live by the sea, and Santa Barbara seems like the perfect place to fulfill this dream.
DID YOU KNOW?
As a lover of outdoor sports, I've been drawn to the inspiring and challenging beauty of rock and mountain climbing since I was 15 years old. I have summited most of my country's mountains, from the enchanting Sumaco, a mountain that rises 13,000 feet above sea level in the heart of the Ecuadorian rainforest, to Cotopaxi, one of the world's highest active volcanoes.