I am a cultural anthropologist and my research focuses on several themes including: Migration and Refugees, Economics and Development, Nutrition, and Research Methodology.

Since the early 1990s I have studied migration from communities in Oaxaca, Mexico to the US with support from the National Science Foundation. I also conduct comparative research on Mexican, Dominican and Turkish migration.

My work on food and eating insects in Mexico was supported by the National Geographic Society.

I have served as an expert witness on several criminal and immigration/refugee cases and consulted on marketing and cultural issues with Fortune 500 companies.