OBJECTIVE I aspire to enhance my research and project evaluation abilities through experience, by working with collaborative teams in order to fulfill community and funder needs. SKILLS Fluency in Spanish. Working proficiency in Portuguese. Qualitative research skills: structured and semi-structured interviewing, instrument design, interviewing transcription, coding and analysis, etc. Trained in KoBo, KoBo formbuilder, KoBo Formdesigner (Mobile digital data collection application used to collect data using Android devices) Experience dealing with sexual assault/human trafficking survivors. Experience with grant proposal writing and evaluation. EDUCATION University of South Florida Expected Graduation: Summer 2018 Master of Arts in Applied Anthropology Master of Public Health Concentration: Global Health Practice University of South Florida Graduation: Summer 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology Honor s Thesis: Biomedical Values in Professional Breastfeeding Support: A Content Analysis of the Journal of Human Lactation Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Hillsborough Community College Graduation: 2009 Associate of Arts in Pre-medicine PUBLICATIONS Verbyla, Matthew E., Cairns, Maryann R., Gonzalez, Paola A., Linda M. Whiteford and James R. Mihelcic 2015 Emerging challenges for pathogen control and resource recovery in natural wastewater treatment systems. WIREs Water 2015. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1101
Wells, E. Christian, Zarger, Rebecca K., Whiteford, Linda M., Koenig, Eric S., Gonzalez, Paola A. and Suzanna M. Pratt 2015 Technology and Tourism on the Placencia Peninsula: Exploring Contextsensitive Pathways for Sustainable Wastewater Management. Research Reports in Belizean History and Anthropology, in press. Gonzalez, Paola A. 2012 Seeing Social Problems through the Eyes of Community Members: Reflections on Community Based Service-Learning at Moses House. Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research, Volume 1. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE August 4, 2016-Currently Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Anthropology Mixed-Status Families and the Contemporary Migration Experience Building on a pilot study, the project examines effects on mixed-status families in the wake of simultaneous efforts at immigration and health care system reform. Research duties include qualitative analysis of interviews conducted over a period of three years in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. December 22, 2015- Currently Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Anthropology Impacts of Tourism, Wastewater, And Water-energy Development on the Livelihoods and the Environment on the Placencia Peninsula of Belize Research project duties entail transcribing, coding and analyzing interviews conducted during three field seasons in the Placencia Peninsula, Belize. This is part of a larger, multi-disciplinary research initiative that seeks to find culturally and geographically appropriate technologies or strategies to recover resources in different contexts. March 2015- November 24, 2015 The Fulbright U.S. Student Program Research Fellow- Brazil My research project was designed to study the political ecology and economy, water scarcity, issues of lack of sanitation, and perceptions of water reuse in Brasilia and other satellite cities surrounding the capital of Brazil.
August 2014- December 2014 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Anthropology Assisted a faculty professor in her Environmental Anthropology class. Duties entailed grading undergraduate students essay papers, exams, in-class assignments, work with professor in developing "field work" experiences that reiterated what was learned in the classroom, hosting office hours to assist students outside of the classroom, and attending all lectures. June 2014- December 2014 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Assistant Partners for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant: Belize Grant No.1243510 This project was conducted in the Placencia Peninsula of Belize and seeks to understand how perceptions and practices surrounding wastewater management are impacted by tourism and related development. It is part of a larger, multi-disciplinary research initiative that seeks to find culturally and geographically appropriate technologies or strategies to recover resources in different contexts. November 2012 May 2014 The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Sexual Assault/Trauma Victim Advocate Provide advocacy for sexual assault/domestic violence and human trafficking victims/survivors through legal, court and medical accompaniment, resource linkage, safety planning, community advocacy. Provide crisis intervention, emotional support, and advocate for the client s on-going needs during the recovery period. December 2010 May 2012 Research Assistant Professionalization of Lactation Consulting and the Medicalization of Breastfeeding This project aims at the understanding and reasoning behind the low breastfeeding rates currently found in the U.S. despite the large body of scientific evidence proving the benefits of breastfeeding. May 2011- July 2011 National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowship Sustainable Water Management Research Experience in Bolivia: Influence of a Dynamic World on Technological and Societal Solutions: Grant No. OISE 0966410.
February 2007 - October 2009 Bayside Pediatrics, Inc. Patient Document Specialist/ Patient Service Representative Managed all patient documentation; including consultant specialist reports, vaccination records, hospital reports. DISTINCTIONS, HONORS, AWARDS American Water Works Association member August 2016-Present Fulbright Research Grant Fellowship March- November 2015 National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowship May- July 2011 Society for Applied Anthropology member October 2011- Present AT&T Service Learning Scholarship December 2011 Florida Bright Futures Florida Medallion Scholarship August 2007 CONFERENCES March 2016 The Society for Applied Anthropology 76 th Annual Meeting: Intersections Paper Presentation: Water and Children in Interdisciplinary Research: Lessons from Designing Environmental Curriculum on the Placencia Peninsula in Belize by Paola A. Gonzalez, C. Ann Vitous, and Rebecca K. Zarger April 3-5, 2013 End of Violence Against Women International International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence & Stalking Educate those who respond to gender-based violence, equipping them with the knowledge and tools they need to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable. February 2013 USF Health Research Day Poster Presentation: Evaluating a Community-Based Approach to Reducing Neighborhood Conflict through Positive Youth Development. Authors: Jeannese Castro, BA. Paola Gonzalez, BA. BS., Susan Greenbaum, PhD, Rita DeBate, PhD, Lance Arney, PhD, Shannon Richardson, Wendy Hathaway, MA. Presented by: Jeannese Castro, BA.
March 2012 The Society for Applied Anthropology 72nd Annual Meeting: Bays, Boundaries and Borders Paper Presentation: The Mentored Undergraduate Field Research Experience: Lessons from Bolivia by Maryann R. Cairns and Paola A. Gonzalez April 2011 9th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and Celebration- USF The Development of Professional Healthcare Support for Breastfeeding: A Content Analysis of the Journal of Human Lactation. WORK RELATED EXPERIENCE January 2016 December 2016 February 2011 July 2014 Community Service Assistant/Staff at the Moses House A Cultural Center for Social Justice I actively worked with children from grades 6-8th who come from low-income families in order to effectively learn about their opinions on community and social development, health behaviors and practices, violence-prevention. August 2014- December 2014 The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Sexual Assault Volunteer Victim Advocate Provide advocacy for sexual assault/domestic violence and human trafficking victims/survivors upon initial contact with law enforcement/crisis Center; including crisis intervention and emotional support.