Growing up in an industrial city in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, Sofia Jaime’s journey to academia was influenced by the challenges her family faced and the determination they instilled in her. At first, higher education seemed out of reach. As a first-generation college-student, Jaime juggled side jobs—cleaning, caretaking, and teaching—to get through college. But rather than being an obstacle, these challenges inspired her drive. 

“The barriers my family and I faced became a trampoline for me to jump higher and farther,” she says. 

Now, as a second year Ph.D. student in sociology at UC Irvine, Jaime’s research is deeply rooted in her family’s legacy, focusing on the long-term impacts of migration and the forces that shape socioeconomic inequality. What she once viewed as a hindrance has become the foundation of her work.

Roots of research

Jaime was raised in what she calls a “collaborative mothering environment,” where in addition to her single mother, who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, she was cared for by her grandmothers and aunt.

Jaime witnessed the racial and economic obstacles that her family faced firsthand. When her grandmother, with Indigenous roots and “brown skin,” came to pick her up from school, the school repeatedly questioned her grandmother’s identity because they didn’t believe she belonged. 

On the other side of her family, she had grandparents who immigrated from Italy and Greece after the World Wars. Their experiences taught her the importance of starting over.

This personal history fuels Jaime’s research of migration and social mobility. Her work asks a key question: Does social status “travel” across borders? Her curiosity stems not only from academic rigor but from a lifelong search for answers, answers tied to the inequalities she witnessed growing up. She’s driven to understand whether migrating families improve their socio-economic standing or merely trade one set of struggles for another. 

Thanks to Argentina’s public education system and various competitive grants and scholarships, Jaime was able to earn a college degree, graduating cum laude, and continue her studies abroad. As a sociology major at the University of Buenos Aires, she was awarded a fellowship to study at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich where she experienced a turning point. 

“I realized it was possible to get involved internationally and transmit my world view and perspective as a South American woman on a wider platform,” she says.

Migration in motion

It’s this platform she continues to build as she explores the intersections of migration, race, and inequality. It’s also what led her to pursue graduate education abroad in Spain and ultimately to pursue a Ph.D. at UCI. Jaime earned an M.A. in international development cooperation from Comillas University of Madrid and an M.A. in social sciences from Charles III University of Madrid. 

Jaime already has numerous publications to her name and has participated in more than 20 international conferences, including the prestigious European Consortium for Sociological Research. She has co-authored a book on social stratification, which she presented at the DEMOSAL conference. She has also co-authored a paper on algorithmic fairness which was published in the Proceedings of the 2024 Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT ’24).

UCI first came to Jaime’s attention when one of her professors at Charles III University of Madrid, himself a UCI Ph.D. economics graduate, recommended that she apply. He knew firsthand the strength of the sociology faculty, particularly those who focused on migration. Faculty such as Edward Telles, Ruben Rumbaut, Stanley Bailey, and Richard Arum have played a pivotal role in Jaime’s research journey, providing valuable insights as she delves into the complex issues surrounding migration. It’s this mentorship, combined with her initiative and scholarly rigor, that propels her work forward.

“I wanted to be in this environment. It’s an honor to be surrounded by such influential contributors and generous mentors,” Jaime says.

As she continues to develop her sociological and quantitative research skills, her mentors are enthusiastic about her potential.

“Sofia brings together knowledge of Europe and Latin America with sociological and statistical training she is further developing at UCI. I look forward to her implementation of innovative research ideas,” says Edward Telles, UCI Distinguished Professor of Sociology.

In addition to the faculty, Jaime is also appreciative of her “very supportive” Ph.D. cohort, half of which are international students like herself.

“I feel fortunate to be surrounded by other graduate students who examine inequalities from various perspectives. This diversity significantly influences how we develop our theoretical framework,” she says.

Jaime’s accomplishments at UCI have not gone unnoticed. She has recently received funding from the UCI Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies, which will help support her exploration into migration’s long-term effects. 

Mentorship and meaning

Like many of the migrants she studies, Jaime’s journey has taken her across borders in pursuit of opportunity. While her studies have taken her a long way from home, her research serves as a link to family and friends.

“My research is self-reflective. It keeps me connected to my ties back home,” she says.

Looking ahead, Jaime hopes to remain in academia so that she can make an impact with both research and mentoring. Just as her family’s story sparked her academic journey, Jaime’s goal is to continue that legacy—using her research and mentorship to help others navigate and understand the forces of migration and inequality. In doing so, she hopes to foster a new generation of scholars with their own stories to tell.

“I want to mentor students and make sure all voices are valued and heard. I want my research to guide important decisions and make a real difference in people’s lives,” Jaime says. “Whether it’s refining an algorithm, influencing decisions, or offering valuable insights that might create change, the possibility of making a difference is what keeps me moving forward.”

-Jill Kato for UCI School of Social Sciences