Sonia Gonzalez

Sonia Gonzalez serves as Assistant Professor of Instruction and Director of the Public Health Program in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Texas at Austin. With over 25 years of experience since 1995, she has established expertise in HIV prevention and college health initiatives, particularly focused on adolescents and young adults through clinical trials, nonprofit programming, and digital health innovation.

Her academic credentials include:

• Doctor of Public Health, Population and Community Health (Graduate Center, 2018)
• Interactive Technology & Pedagogy Certification (Graduate Center, 2018)
• Master of Public Health, Population and Family Health (Columbia University, 2003)
• Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies/Public Health and Spanish/Linguistics (UT Austin, 1999)

Dr. Gonzalez's research bridges health and technology through equity-centered digital health applications, specializing in mobile solutions to improve behavioral health and service access for young populations. Her methodological strengths encompass individual interviews, focus groups, social observations, survey design, and metrics development, consistently applied to deliver data-driven products within constrained timelines while engaging diverse stakeholders from community members to executive leadership.

Her publication record reveals a sustained trajectory of applying technology to public health challenges, with increasing emphasis on pandemic response, HIV prevention for marginalized groups, and disaster recovery - all characterized by rigorous mixed-methods approaches and centering equity considerations, particularly for young women of color.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellow (NIMH, F31MH099924)

She demonstrates extensive mentoring experience through supervising 24 students (17 undergraduates and 7 graduates) during the Healthy CUNY Initiative's app development, supported by competitive funding including her NIMH fellowship. Her grant work consistently integrates community-based participatory research principles with technical innovation.

Dr. Gonzalez co-founded the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition and served on the Red Hook Initiative's Board of Directors, demonstrating her commitment to community-driven solutions. Her leadership in the Healthy CUNY Initiative involved cross-functional coordination between scientific, medical, and design teams to deploy college health applications across multiple urban campuses while maintaining rigorous evaluation frameworks.