Xaé Alicia Reyes, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Connecticut who holds a joint appointment in Puerto Rican and Latino Studies. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado and has been on the faculty of the University of Connecticut since 1999. 

Prior to joining UCONN, Reyes taught Spanish at Le Moyne College and Syracuse University in Upstate New York, and at the University of Colorado (CU), Boulder. She also taught Business Communication at the University of Puerto Rico’s Rio Piedras campus, including an Honors course in Ethnography of the Workplace. While completing her Ph.D. as a Title VII fellow, Dr. Reyes was both a Research Assistant in CU’s Migrant Program and a Teaching Assistant charged with teaching Foundations of Education to pre-service teachers. Subsequently, Dr. Reyes joined the Educational Studies Department at Rhode Island College (RIC) in 1994. Her work extended beyond teaching courses in cultural foundations, diversity, and classroom research for teachers, to coordinating field placements in schools and acting as Coordinator of a college and high school partnership initiative known as Teacher Academy and designed to attract minorities into teaching careers. She received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor upon completion of her fifth year there, and was invited by Brown University  to teach Latino Studies as a Visiting Faculty of the Ethnic Studies Program during the spring of 1997. While in Rhode Island, Dr. Reyes was part of the revision team for the Mission and Goals of the Providence School Department, and member of the SALT (Statewide Assessment of Learning and Teaching) team and she also sat on the Board of Progreso Latino of Rhode Island. 

Dr. Reyes worked with TRIO Programs, both directing and writing grants to fund Student Support Services at the Cayey campus of the University of Puerto Rico between 1984 and 1990. This has added to the breadth of her experiences in educational settings and communities which has, in turn, informed her teaching and research activities. Her publications in journals such as the Journal of Latina/os and Education, Journal of Latino Studies and Journal of Hispanic Higher Education reflect her concerns for social justice and her commitment to equity and access. Dr.Reyes’ areas of expertise include critical ethnography, teacher preparation for linguistically and culturally diverse communities, media representations, and migration issues as they affect schooling and civic engagement, and political participation. Her community involvement and experiences with media led to an invitation to host a public access television show called Education Matters (Charter 14-Northeastern Connecticut).

Reyes’ most recent work as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Thailand in the summer of 2009, involved teaching courses, assisting with faculty development, and engaging in curricular review at Burapha University’s International College in Bangsaen, and meetings and a presentation at Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai.