Faculty
Vanessa Perez
Assistant Professor
Contact
Home Campus: Tampa
Office: SOC 368
Email: vanessaperez1@usf.edu
education
Ph.D., Political Science, Columbia University
M.A., Political Science, Columbia University
B.A., Political Science, Columbia University
bio
Dr. Perez is an Assistant Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies (SIGS) specializing in American politics. She holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A., in Political Science from Columbia University. She also previously worked in electoral politics in the Washington, D.C. nonprofit sector. Before coming to USF, she was Assistant Professor of Political Science in the City University of New York.
Dr. Perez teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in American politics, including courses in voting and elections, the presidency, data-driven campaigns, political parties, Latino politics, and American political culture through the lens of comic books and the superhero genre. She is also an active participant in implementing intercultural interdisciplinary global exchanges connecting classrooms in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Perez has worked extensively over the past five years with Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan.
Her research is on political behavior, with emphasis on voting and elections, public opinion, Latino politics, Florida politics, healthcare policy, and data analytics. Dr. Perez’ research has been funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and other grants. It has been published in peer reviewed journals, including, Electoral Studies, State Politics & Policy Quarterly, and the Florida Political Chronicle. Dr. Perez’ current book project employs data science techniques to analyze partisan shifts of Latino voters in the Sunshine State.