UCSD Communication

Name:

Education:

University of California San Diego. Ph.D. student in Communication. 2004-Present. Academic Interests: I focus on questions of citizenship, civic participation, discourses on immigration (including debates on transnationalism, assimilation, belonging, and identity), the public sphere, immigrant communication networks, immigrant media, cross-border, and transnational civic participation. From early on in my academic career, I have been interested in social science methodology and the application of multi-methods in social inquiry. In my own research I have used both quantitative and qualitative methods, and am convinced that the best outcomes for research are where the languages of inquiry (methods) are combined and not exclusive.
While completing my Ph D coursework, I worked as a research assistant for “La Clase Mágica” a project aimed at helping underserved and minority (specially Latino) children attending K-12 public schools to acquire the knowledge and cultural capital needed to have access to higher education. In this project, I have worked with Latino children in public schools in San Diego County.

San Diego State University. M.A. Communication and Public Relations. 2000-2002. Thesis: Issues and Images: Presidential Debates, Media Coverage, and New Campaigning Styles in the Mexico’s 2000 Election. Degree Awarded: December 2002.

National Autonomous University of Mexico. B.A. in Political Science. Graduated first in class. Thesis: “La Confederación de Trabajadores de México en el contexto de la Reestructuración del Partido Revolucionario Institucional” (1991-1994) [The Mexican Workers Confederation in the context of the internal reforms of the Ruling Party] (1991-1994).

Fellowships and Honors:

Recipient of the Eugene Cota Robles Fellowship, 2004-2008. This fellowship is based on student merit and contribution to the academic and social diversity of the discipline.

Recipient of the Alan A. Mannason Scholarship Award, 2004-2005.

Work Experience:

Frequent op-ed contributor at several newspapers such as La Opinion in Los Angeles, Reforma in Mexico City, La Nueva Era in Los Angeles, and MX Sin Fronteras. Some articles can be accessed at: www.antonietamercado.blogspot.com.

Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California. Metamorphosis Project. Research Assistant. Performed multi-method research (focus groups, content analysis, survey, and in-depth interviewing) on Spanish-speaking and other ethnic communities in Los Angeles. Developed a research project about Geo-ethnic media and their role in shaping civic participation and political attitudes among immigrant communities in Los Angeles. 2003-2004.

Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UCSD. Publications Manager. Promoted and marketed specialized academic publications on Mexico and US-Mexico Relations to universities and libraries in Mexico, Canada, and the US. Organized seminars, book readings, book fairs, and academic events for the Center. Promoted relations with higher education and government institutions as well as foundations. Designed and up-dated the Center’s publications web page. Translated from English to Spanish the Center’s publications and brochures. January 2000-September 2001.

Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego. Press Officer. Performed community and public relations work with American and Mexican media in the San Diego-Tijuana region. Started a research project, evaluating systematically the image of Mexico in the US media through a content analysis of San Diego newspapers and television programs. Conducted frequent opinion surveys to address the needs of the Mexican community in San Diego. Organized events, workshops, and visits by dignitaries. Directed press conferences and wrote press releases. Generated daily reports and analyses. Produced several information campaigns for immigrants crossing to the United States through dangerous routes, using electronic and written media. Participated and coordinated the Consulate’s radio program: Paisano Infórmate, a weekly program that disseminated information to Spanish-speaking immigrants about immigration rights, labor law, human rights as well as community, culture, and business affairs. (June 1996-December 1999).

Previous Work Experience in Mexico. During my time in Mexico, I worked briefly as media analyst at the office of the President of Mexico. Prior to that, I worked during 1993 and 1994 at the presidential campaign of Luis Donaldo Colosio, candidate of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) as a media analyst, and later at the campaign of former President of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo doing editorial work for the campaign’s publications. Earlier I worked as research and information analyst for Grupo Consultor Interdisciplinario, a political consultant firm in Mexico City.

Community Activities:

Community Activities During 2003 and 2004 I collaborated with different immigrant organizations in Los Angeles, giving talks about media strategies and media management skills. I imparted a one-day class at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture, at the University of Southern California in June, 2004 to several public relations representatives of immigrant organizations from Mexico and Central America.

La Clase Mágica. Research Assistant 2006-2007. Worked extensively in literacy and evaluation for this after-school program aimed to help minority and economically disadvantaged students to gain cultural and social capital skills to have access to higher education.

Coalición por los Derechos Políticos de los Mexicanos en el Extranjero. Active member since 2002. Participated in several initiatives and delegations advocating for the right of Mexicans living abroad to vote in Mexican elections. This right was granted partially in the year 2005, however, activities of immigrant groups continue to push for a broader reform and more inclusion of expatriate Mexicans in political and economic decisions in Mexico.

BINACOM. Binational Association of Schools of Communication. Member of the organization committee since the year 2000. Binacom is a binational association that organizes several academic events a year. The main event is called the “Encuentro” and it is organized every 18 months with participants from the United States and Mexico.

Organization Committee for the International Society for Cultural and Activity Research (ISCAR) Conference in San Diego, CA on September, 2008.

Teaching Experience:

University of California San Diego. Teaching Assistant.
Communication and Culture (Two sections, Spring, 2007).
Practicum in Child Development (Winter 2007, Fall 2007).
Communication as a Social Force (Two Sections, Fall 2006, Winter 2008).
Children and the Media (Spring, 2005).

San Diego State University. Instructor.
Oral Communication 103 (Spring 2000).
Course on public speaking and intercultural communication for the general education curriculum. Hands-on course on preparing students to develop their own public speaking style.

Centro de Estudios de Cómputo, Cafetales, Mexico City. Instructor.
High School Journalism Workshop, Spring-1995.

National Autonomous University of Mexico. Teaching Assistant.
“The Contemporary Political Society” (Spring and Fall 1993 and Spring 1995)
“Social Research Seminar I” (Spring and Fall 1993)

Conferences:

American Educational Research Association (AERA). Chicago, IL, 2007. Active Learners or Static Testers? What to look for in Educational Program
Assessment?

International Communication Association, New Orleans, 2004 (ICA). Immigrant organizations and the local media in Los Angeles Lin, W., Song, H. & Mercado, A. (2003). Telling local stories: the role of geo-ethnic media in building communities.

International Communication Association, San Diego 2003 (ICA). Presented paper: Issues and Images, a Case for Agenda Setting Theory in Presidential Debates and New Campaign Styles in the Mexico 2000 Election (with Susan Hellweg, David Dozier, and Richard Hofstetter). San Diego, California, May 2003.

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Presented a paper on “Two Sides: Journalism Education in Mexico and the United States.” With Michael Real. Mexico City, January 2001.

Binational Conference of Schools of Communication 2001. Presented a paper on “Issues, Image, and Media coverage in Mexican Presidential Debates on the election 2000”. Tijuana, Baja California, April 2001.

Binational Conference of Schools of Communication 2000. Presented a paper on “Media Involvement in Border Incidents.” San Diego, California, March 2000.

Latin America Studies Association (LASA). Presented paper on Mexican unions at the XX International Conference, Guadalajara, Mexico. April 1997

Publications:

“La comunidad mexicana en el extranjero: Una comunidad política transfronteriza” in Gonzalo Badillo Moreno (ed.). La puerta que llama, el voto de los mexicanos en el exterior, México, 2004, Senado de la República, pp. 389-401.

Newspaper Articles: For access to my published newspaper articles in Spanish, and miscellaneous published work consult www.antonietamercado.blogspot.com

Special Skills:

Experience in social research (quantitative and qualitative: focus groups, survey design, content analysis, and ethnographic research). Library and Internet research experience. Fluent in English and Spanish, with experience in translations. Able to read Italian and Portuguese. Experience organizing academic and political events, conferences and seminaries. Proficient in Windows, DOS, and Macintosh environments. Extensive work with SPSS, Excel, Microsoft Word, and Power Point.