Luana Ross facts for kids

Luana K. Ross (born 1949) is a Native American sociologist. She is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes from Montana.

She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Montana in 1979. Later, she received her master's degree from Portland State University. In 1992, she completed her doctorate in sociology at the University of Oregon.

Dr. Ross taught at the University of California at Davis and UC Berkeley. Since 1999, she has been a professor at the University of Washington. She teaches in the Department of Gender, Women & ... Studies. She is also an adjunct professor in American Indian Studies.

In 2010, she became president of Salish Kootenai College. She served in this role until 2012.

Luana K. Ross: A Leader and Scholar

Luana K. Ross is a respected scholar and leader. She has dedicated her career to studying important social issues. Her work often focuses on the experiences of Native American people. She also explores how different groups are treated in society.

Her Important Research

Dr. Ross has written many important works. Her research helps us understand social issues better. She focuses on topics like justice and identity.

Exploring Experiences in Prison

Ross is the author of a well-known book. It is called Inventing the Savage: The Social Construction of American Criminality. This book looks at how people from different backgrounds, especially Native American women, are treated in prisons. It explores how society's ideas about crime can affect certain groups.

In 1998, her book won an award. The American Political Science Association named it the Best Book in Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. This shows how important her ideas are.

Other Writings and Interests

Dr. Ross has also published many articles. These articles often focus on the experiences of Native American women. Some of her articles include "Race, Gender, and Social Control: Voices of Imprisoned Native American and White Women" (1994) and "From the 'F' Word to Indigenous/Feminisms" (2009).

She has also contributed chapters to other books. These include Native American Voices: A Reader (1998) and Reading Native American Women (2005).

Her main research interests include Native Women and Criminality. She also studies Race/Ethnic Relations and Indigenous Methodology. Dr. Ross continues to teach and guide students.

A famous scholar, Angela Davis, influenced Dr. Ross's work. Angela Davis mentored Luana Ross for a year. This was when Dr. Ross had a fellowship at University of California Santa Cruz.

Making a Difference: Professional Roles

Dr. Ross has held many important positions. She uses her knowledge to help communities. She has worked to improve education and understanding.

Leading the Native Voices Program

Currently, Dr. Ross is a co-director. She helps lead the Native Voices Graduate Program. This program is part of the Department of American Indian Studies. It is at the University of Washington.

Native Voices is a master's degree program. Students learn to make documentaries, films, and digital media. The films made by students in this program have won many awards. Dr. Ross herself has produced several award-winning films. These include The Place of the Falling Waters (1991) and A Century of Genocide in the Americas: The Residential School Experience (2002).

President of Salish Kootenai College

From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Ross was president of Salish Kootenai College. This college is located in Pablo, Montana. She was the third president in the college's history.

During her time as president, Dr. Ross started many projects. She worked to benefit the campus community. She created commissions to focus on sustainability and fairness. She also started an honor professor series. Dr. Ross worked to make sure grading was fair in the Nursing Department. She also put in place new policies to make the campus safer. She openly supported all students, including those from the LGBT community.

Dr. Ross resigned from her position in October 2012. She explained that she had "irreconcilable visions" with the governing board. This means she had different ideas about the college's future. After leaving Salish Kootenai College, Dr. Ross returned to teaching and research. She continued her work at the University of Washington.

Continued Service

Dr. Ross also served as a guest editor. She worked on the American Indian Culture and Research Journal in 2016. The issue focused on "Settler Colonialism and the Legislating of Criminality."

Additionally, Dr. Ross serves on an international advisory board. This board is for the feminist academic journal Signs.