Héctor Tobar, associate professor of English in the Literary Journalism Program and associate professor of Chicano/Latino studies, has been named a Radcliffe Fellow for 2020-2021 by the Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program at Harvard University.
The Radcliffe Institute Fellowship Program annually selects and supports leading scholars, scientists, artists and practitioners from around the world who have exceptional promise and have demonstrated accomplishments. Tobar is among 42 fellows representing six countries, chosen from a pool of nearly 1,400 applicants.
“It’s a wonderful honor,” Tobar said. “I’m looking forward to representing ’Eater Nation at Harvard, and to writing a book there that will make my UCI colleagues and students proud."
Tobar is the author of five books, including the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestseller Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free. His forthcoming novel, The Last Great Road Bum, will publish in August. As a fellow, Tobar will work on his next nonfiction book, The Sisyphus Project. The book will explore Latinx identity, and how it’s been shaped by a generation of xenophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric, as well as how Latinx people find ways to defend and assert their humanity, in both private and public settings.
At this time, the fellowship will be virtual.
“This is a special class of fellows, joining the Radcliffe Institute at a challenging time in history,” Claudia Rizzini, executive director of the fellowship program, said. “I look forward to welcoming our fellows and working with them to build a dynamic community that enriches their projects.”