Hugh 'Bud' Mehan

Areas of Specialization: Discourse Processes, Sociology of Education, Educational Inequalities

Hugh Mehan is Professor Emeritus of Sociology and former Director of the Center for Research on Educational Equity, Access, and Teaching Excellence (CREATE) at UC San Diego. His work connected research and practice through partnerships with K–12 schools, districts, and The Preuss School at UC San Diego to strengthen college preparation for underrepresented students.

Since earning his PhD in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara in 1971, Professor Mehan’s research has examined classroom organization, educational testing, tracking and untracking, and the ways schools shape identities such as the “competent student” and “learning disabled student.”

He authored six books and edited four volumes on education and social organization, including Reform as Learning. He was elected to the National Academy of Education in 1997 and received numerous teaching and research awards recognizing his contributions to education scholarship.