The Graduate School at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Co-Investigator/Coordinator (Independent PhD Field Research)

• Funded through The Graduate School's Doctoral Research Completion Award

• Received $15,000 in funding, along with tuition waivers for two academic semesters, as part of The Graduate School's Dissertation Completion Award at the University of Florida

• Organized and analyzed ethnographic resources that I collected during PhD field research

• Prepared and completed the manuscript, "Finding Rhythms in the Road: How Mobilities Become Livelihoods on the Inter-American Highway", as part of the PhD program in anthropology

• Gained experience in the editing and formatting of professional publications

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Dept. of Anthropology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Co-Investigator/Coordinator (Independent PhD Field Research)

• Planned and executed six months of multi-sited ethnographic field research in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua as part of Phase II of field research for the PhD project ,"Finding Rhythms in the Road: How Mobilities Become Livelihoods on the Inter-American Highway"

• Obtained renewal clearance to perform the tasks of the research project from the Institutional Review Board at the University of Florida (Protocol #2016-U-0079)

• Used the ethnographic research methods of participant observation, non-participant observation, walkthroughs, structured interviews, and semi-structured interviews to learn and document cultural uses of the built environment

• Researched the social and environmental impacts of development projects in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua with emphasis on a stretch of the Inter-American Highway between Panama City, Panama and Managua, Nicaragua

• Recorded life histories of and participated in daily work routines with taxi drivers, informal travel assistants, mobile vendors, and stationary vendors to learn how surrounding communities gain access to and use the Inter-American Highway to earn income

• Analyzed the histories of mobility, formal/informal work, and infrastructure development projects in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua

• Collected and managed items of material culture as they related to the daily life around the Inter-American Highway

• Collected and organized historical cultural resources at the National Archives in San Jose, Costa Rica and Managua, Nicaragua

• Consulted with faculty and professionals from local universities and institutions—such as Autonomous University of Chiriqui (Panama), University of Costa Rica, Central American University (Managua, Nicaragua), and National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (Managua, Nicaragua), and Ministries of Public Works and Infrastructure—to better understand and receive access to cultural resources and spaces

• Partnered with researchers at the Autonomous University of Chiriqui (Panama) to prepare a proposal of partnership between the Autonomous University of Chiriqui and the University of Florida

• Volunteered and provided professional advice to faculty and students of primary schools within the indigenous highland territory of Hato Chami (Panama), as well as the Adventist School of Paso Canoas, Costa Rica

• Coordinated with lead natural medicine specialist and primary cultural resource manager of the Comte community to plan a future ethnographic research project that aims to document and preserve the cultural heritage of the Ngabe-Bugle indigenous community and disseminate the resources to the youth of the community

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The Graduate School at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Co-Investigator/Coordinator (Independent PhD Field Research)

• Funded through The Graduate School's Doctoral Research Travel Award

• Received $5,000 in funding from The Graduate School at the University of Florida to conduct Phase I of ethnographic research for the PhD program in anthropology

• Planned and executed four months of multi-sited ethnographic field research in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua as part of the PhD project, "Finding Rhythms in the Road: How Mobilities Become Livelihoods on the Inter-American Highway"

• Used the ethnographic research methods of participant observation, non-participant observation, walkthroughs, structured Interviews, and semi-structured interviews to learn and document cultural uses of the built environment

• Obtained clearance to perform the tasks of the research project from the Institutional Review Board at the University of Florida (Protocol #2016-U-0079)

• Researched the social and environmental impacts of development projects in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua with emphasis on a stretch of the Inter-American Highway between Panama City, Panama and Managua, Nicaragua

• Recorded life histories of and participated in daily work routines with taxi drivers, informal travel assistants, mobile vendors, and stationary vendors to learn how surrounding communities gain access to and use the Inter-American Highway to earn income

• Analyzed the histories of mobility, formal/informal work, and infrastructure development projects in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua

• Collected and managed items of material culture as they related to the daily life around the Inter-American Highway

• Researched and organized historical cultural resources at the National Archives in Panama City, Panama

• Partnered with faculty and professionals from local universities and institutions--such as National University of Panama, Autonomous University of Chiriqui (Panama), University of Costa Rica, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute--to better understand and receive access to cultural resources, spaces, and relevant contacts

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Dept. of Anthropology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Co-Investigator/Coordinator (Independent PhD Field Research)

• Funded through the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida's James C. Waggoner Grants-in-Aid

• Received $800 in funding from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida to conduct Phase II of preliminary ethnographic research for the PhD program in anthropology

• Planned and executed two weeks of multi-sited ethnographic field research in Panama as part of the PhD project, "Finding Rhythms in the Road: How Mobilities Become Livelihoods on the Inter-American Highway"

• Obtained renewal of clearance to perform the tasks of the research project from the Institutional Review Board at the University of Florida (continuation of Protocol #2013-U-466)

• Used ethnographic research methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews to learn and document cultural uses of the built environment 

• Researched the social and environmental impacts of development projects in Panama with emphasis on a stretch of the Inter-American Highway between Panama City and Yaviza at the base of the Darien Gap

• Conducted cultural document analysis at the Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of Exterior Relations in Panama City, Panama

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Clinton Health Access Initiative, Boston, MA

Subject Matter Expert (No Compensation)

• Partnered with Senior Research Associates of the Clinton Health Access Initiative between October 2014-April 2015 to assist with the planning and collection of research data for their Mesoamerica Malaria Elimination project

• Served as a subject matter expert on the topics of public transportation routes and indigenous community mobility patterns in Panama

• Used anthropology/mobility studies and ethnographic methods to problem solve questions about malaria transmission pathways in Panama

• Drafted a mobility map--using the Esri GIS mapping software--of formal and informal bus routes in Panama to better understand how and where possible carriers of malaria move from rural to urban/semi-urban centers

• Gained basic training and experience in GIS mapping through the Esri geographic information system

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Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Co-Investigator/Coordinator (Independent PhD Field Research)

• Funded through the Tinker Travel Grant from the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida and the Paul and Polly Doughty Research Award

• Received at total of $ $2,891 in funding--with $1,391 from the Center for Latin American Studies and $1,500 from the Department of Anthropology--to conduct Phase I of preliminary ethnographic research for the PhD program in anthropology

• Planned and participated in one month of multi-sited ethnographic field research in Central America as part of the PhD project, "Finding Work in the Shadow of the State: A Multi-Sited Ethnography of "Paralegals" in Central American Border Communities"

• Obtained clearance to perform the tasks of the research project from the Institutional Review Board at the University of Florida (Protocol #2013-U-466)

• Used the ethnographic research methods of participant observation and semi-structured interviews to learn and document cultural uses of national border crossings along the Inter-American Highway in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala

• Documented how community members gain access to and use national border crossings as a means to earn income

• Research the history of the World Customs Organization in Central American and their relationship with communities that surround national border crossings

• Selected three ethnographic field site locations that would become part of a larger multi-sited ethnography

• Established contacts with border community residents and local institutions

• Secured affiliations with the local institutions of the National University of Panama, University of Costa Rica, and Autonomous University of Chiriqui (Panama)

• Presented ethnographic resources of the research project at the 2014 Field Research Clinic, hosted by the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida

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Dept. of Anthropology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Short-Term Research Assistant

• Collected data and organized sources on disasters, social vulnerability, and climate change in the state of Florida between 2000-2011 for the introduction of Dr. Anthony Oliver-Smith's forthcoming manuscript, "Disasters in Paradise: Natural Hazards, Social Vulnerability, and Development Decisions"

• Performed research and data collection on the social impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms in Florida between 2000-2011 using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center database

• Collected data and organized sources on climate change, displacement, and resettlement in Bangladesh as part of Dr. Oliver-Smith's upcoming research and professional publications

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The Democracy Center, San Francisco, CA

Long-Distance Volunteer- Working from Florida (No Compensation)

• Served as a volunteer member of the research team at the Democracy Center

• Conducted research on the media coverage of changes in the lithium market in Latin America

• Established detailed contact lists of affiliated organizations for The Democracy Center’s book tour

• Conducted research on the negative effects of lithium mining on the environment and surrounding communities in Chile and Argentina

• Cataloged data and research findings for The Democracy Center’s professional publication, “Bolivia and Its Lithium: Can the ‘Gold of the 21st Century’ Help Lift a Nation out of Poverty?”

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