Sergio Ernesto Barrera is an Assistant Professor in Economics at Virginia Tech. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Minnesota in 2022. His prior experience includes serving as a linguist in the United States Marine Corps and as a research analyst at the Minneapolis Fed’s Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute.
His research focuses on racial, ethnic and socioeconomic inequality in labor market, education, and criminal justice outcomes. He focuses primarily on non-cognitive skills, beliefs, and social networks. In his free time, Sergio has assisted minority serving K-12 institutions, refugee resettlement programs, and the Virginia Latino Advocacy Board.