Professor Ruben Mendoza has been selected to deliver the keynote address at the annual meeting of the California Mission Studies Association (CMSA). The meeting will be held Feb. 14-16 at Mission San Antonio de Padua and Paso Robles.

An expert on many aspects of mission and California history, Dr. Mendoza will speak to the conference theme of "Ranchos y Vaqueros: Missions and Mission Land After Secularization." His presentation will address the transformation of the missions and mission lands through the course of the 19th century.

"We are honored to have Dr. Mendoza as part of our opening day activities. His talks have been highlights of our previous conferences, and we are pleased to be able to showcase his research as part of Friday's keynote address,” association president David A. Bolton said.

Dr. Mendoza has also been nominated for the CMSA’s prestigious Norman Neureburg Award.

“I'm honored to have been nominated as Norman Neureburg was the art historian and Missions specialist who worked closely and diligently with J. Paul Getty to design and see through the construction of the Getty Center in Los Angeles, and the Getty Villa in Santa Monica,” Dr. Mendoza said.

The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the study and preservation of California's missions, presidios, pueblos and ranchos. Read more faculty highlights