Dr. Díaz-Garayúa completed his undergraduate degree in psychology and geography at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. After working for the city of San Juan, he moved to Akron, Ohio where he earned a master degree. He continued to Kent State University, also in Ohio, where he worked on his PhD in Geography.  Dr. Díaz-Garayúa graduated in 2008, just in time to experience the housing bubble burst. During that period of instability, he worked as lecturer at the University of Akron (an urban campus), the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras (a Hispanic Serving Institution), and Coppin State University (a Historically Black College and University) in Baltimore, Maryland. Those spaces allowed him to gain institutional knowledge from different types of universities. He brought to Stanislaus State experiences from urban and suburban as well as traditionally white institutions, historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI).

He joined Stanislaus State in 2016 as Assistant Professor of Geography. In 2019, he served as Co-Director of the Center for Applied Spatial Analysis (CASA) (until 2024) where he brought over one million dollars in external funds. He was promoted to Associate Professor of Geography in 2020. In 2024, he achieved promotion as Professor of Geography nine years after he joined Stanislaus State. 

Dr. Díaz-Garayúa is a broadly trained human geographer. His principal research interest focuses on urban geography with special interest in inequalities related to "race", ethnicity, and place. His doctoral dissertation, Majority's Perception of Minority Groups vis-à-vis Housing Values within the San Juan, MSA: A Local Variation Approach, uncovered patterns of median housing values and how it relates to "race" and nationality within the San Juan Metropolitan Area. His doctoral field-based research facilitated information at a microscale that is not accessible through the U.S. Census and provide context to further analysis.

Dr. Díaz-Garayúa teaches 4 courses per semester as a regular workload at teaching institutions. In addition, He is engaged in a series of research and publication projects through his HEIR mini lab. 

2004-2008 Ph.D., Geography, Kent State University (Majority’s Perception of Minority Groups vis-à-vis Housing Values within the San Juan MSA, Puerto Rico: A Local Variation Approach.) 

2002-2004 M.A., Geography, University of Akron (Ethnicity and Housing Values Change: Hispanic Neighborhoods in the Cleveland, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area)

1994-1999 B.A., Psychology & Geography, University of Puerto Rico

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STANISLAUS | GEOGRAPHY PROGRAM

  • 2024 – Present | Professor
  • 2023 – 2024 | Interim Chair of the MA/MS Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program
  • 2021 – Present | Principal Investigator: Smoke & Vape Free Scholar Initiative, University of California Tobacco Related Disease Research Program
  • 2020 – 2024 | Associate Professor
  • 2019 – 2024| Co-Director: Center for Applied Spatial Analysis (CASA)
  • 2016 – Present | Director of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • 2016 – 2020 | Assistant Professor

RADIO

  • 2020, Hilando Fino, Radio Universidad WRTU 89.7 FM.  Topic: Los retos de la enseñanza de la geografía frente la pandemia, with Drs. Luis Sánchez & Carlos J. Guilbe: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fTQEP0I2NSwjMt1grUqL5?si=KpPot02oSVqf705QW71tfw
  • 2009, , Round Table, Radio Isla 1320 AM. Topic: Urban Social Geography of the Black Friday, with Drs. Luis Sánchez and Carlos J. Guilbe and undergraduate students from the Department of Geography of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras.

TV

AWARDS

  • 2022 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ ORSP |Faculty Grant Writing Cohort | $13,000
  • 2018 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |RSCA | $3,500
  • 2018 | CSU, Stanislaus | RSCA | $7,352
  • 2012 | Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica | Paper & TV Presentation | $1,200

CONTRACTS

  • 2021 | CASA / Stanislaus Health Services | Assessment of Infrastructure, Structured Activities, and Utilization of Parks: Analyzing Park Use | with Ryan I. Logan | $50,256.03
  • 2021 | CASA / Stanislaus Health Services | Assessment of Infrastructure, Structured Activities, and Utilization of Parks: Analyzing Park Use | with Ryan I. Logan | $76,270.13
  • 2020 | CASA / David & Sharon Froba |Digitalization of Racially Restrictive Covenants in Modesto, California | with Cameron Pallotta | $625
  • 2019 | CASA / OIT, CSU Stanislaus | University Wi-Fi Mapping | with Alison McNally | $6,171 (OIT lack of funds).

EXTERNAL GRANTS

  • 2021 | Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program ▪ PI | with Anna Song, UC Merced $1,025,588
  • 2021 | Spencer Foundation ▪ Co-PI | with Devon Graves | $49,984 (not funded)
  • 2020 | NEH ▪ PI | with Steve Arounsack | $100,000 (not funded)
  • 2019 | California Humanities | Geography meets the Humanities | $5,000
  • 2017 | AAG, West Lakes Division | Paper Presentation | $500
  • 2016 | Race, Ethnicity, and Place |Paper Presentation | $1,000
  • 2012 | Race, Ethnicity, and Place |Paper Presentation | $500
  • 2010 | Race, Ethnicity, and Place |Paper Presentation | $500

INTERNAL GRANTS

  • 2024 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ Instructional Related Activities Grant | $8,104
  • 2023 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ Instructional Related Activities Grant |$8,242.68
  • 2020 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Dean’s Teaching Initiative | $500
  • 2019 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Paper Presentation |$1,000
  • 2018 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Dean’s Teaching Initiative | $500
  • 2018 | CSU Stanislaus ▪ PCDI | Panel | with Xamuel Bañales & Matthew Cover | $1,000
  • 2018 | CSU GIS Specialty Center | Board Member | $300
  • 2017 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Paper Presentation | $700
  • 2017 | CSU GIS Specialty Center | Board Member | $300
  • 2017 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Paper Presentation | $700
  • 2016 | CSU, Stanislaus ▪ CAHSS |Paper Presentation | $1,000

LOWER DIVSION COURSES

  • GEOG 2020 - Introduction to Cultural Geography
  • GEOG 2200 - Introduction to Geospatial Applications
  • GEOG 2410 - Global Cultures & Environments

UPPER DIVISION COURSES

  • GEOG 3010 - Cultural Geography
  • GEOG 3330 - Ethnic Geography
  • GEOG 3510 - Geography of North America
  • GEOG 3520 - Geography of Mexico and Central America
  • GEOG 3910 - Geography in Film (new course)
  • GEOG 3930 - Central Mother Lode
  • GEOG 3940 - The Delta Region
  • GEOG 3960 - The Yosemite Region
  • GEOG 4000 - Current Trends in Geography
  • GEOG 4350 - Urban Geography
  • GEOG 4710 - Field Methods in Geography
  • GEOG 4720 - Local Field Excursions
  • GEOG 4855 - GIS in Urban Analysis (Urban GIS) (new course)
  • GEOG 4800 - Survey of Geographic Thought & Literature 
  • GEOG 4810 - Spatial Analysis for Quantitative Methods (new course)
  • GEOG 4940 - Internship in Geography
  • GEOG 4980 - Individual Study​
  • HONS 3850 - Directed Research Practicum (Smoke & Vape Free Scholar Initiative)

GRADUATE COURSES

  • GEOG 5000 - Current Trends in Geography
  • GEOG 5350 - Urban Sustainability and Design
  • GEOG 5800 - Seminar in the Development of Geographic Thought
  • GEOG 5810 - Spatial Analysis for Quantitative Methods (new course)
  • GEOG 5855 - GIS in Urban Analysis (Urban GIS) (new course)