She holds a degree in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (1977) and a PhD in Social Sciences from the State University of Campinas (1993). She holds the Carlos Hasenbalg Chair (Celapes/CBAE/UFRJ). Chair and coordinates the Higher Education Research Laboratory (Lapes) at UFRJ/CNPq. She has experience in sociology, emphasizing the sociology of education. She has worked mainly on the following topics: social inequalities, social hierarchies, higher education and professions, and public policies.