Sonia Delphin-Perez, Ph.D., is a Research Scientist at the Arizona Institute for Resilience International Programs. She is part of the Climate Adaptation Research Program (CARP), which aims to promote applied research that can be used to inform policies on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This research would contribute to creating a better environment and increase community resilience in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands regions. Sonia, originally from Paraguay, works closely with our partner in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano (CSUCA).
Sonia completed her doctorate in Natural Resources at the University of Arizona. Her dissertation explores the feasibility of integrating ecosystem services into land use planning to meet environmental, economic, and social goals in developing countries. Her research approach includes the integration of the knowledge and voices of Indigenous and rural communities in decision-making. Her research interests include the use of bottom-up participatory methods to balance nature conservation and development, address climate change, and promote community resilience, mainly in the Global South. Her research portfolio includes both quantitative and qualitative methods for studying the intersection of human-environment interactions.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry from the National University of Asuncion and a master’s degree in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she worked in various roles for consulting firms, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the National University of Asuncion, and the University of Florida.