CURRICULUM VITAE

Emily Daina Šaras

February 10, 2023

Department of Sociology Knowli Data Science

Florida State University 3551 Blairstone Road, Suite 105-102
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2270 Tallahassee, FL 32301

Email: emily.saras@knowli.com | Phone: 508-733-4834 | www.emilydainasaras.com

EDUCATION
Florida State University PhD Candidate, Sociology, expected Summer 2023
2018 – PRESENT Tallahassee, FL

Dissertation: “Institutional Racism and Undergraduate

STEM Education Intervention Programs.” Working title

Florida State University MS, Sociology

2015 – 2018 Tallahassee, FL

MS Thesis: “The Efficacy of Undergraduate STEM

Intervention Programs for Underrepresented Minorities:
Results from One University.”

Graduate Certificate in Institutional Research (18 credits)

Tallahassee, FL

Northeastern University Graduate Certificate in Leadership Studies (18 credits)

2013 – 2015 Boston, MA

Central European University MA, Sociology & Social Anthropology, Honors

2012 – 2013 Budapest, Hungary

MA Thesis: “Sutarkim Gerai (Harmonizing Well):

Dialogical Relations of Legitimization Between Lithuanian
State Bureaucracy and Political and Cultural Movements
through Mechanisms of Folk Music.”

Wellesley College BA, Music and Anthropology, magna cum laude

2006 – 2010 Wellesley, MA

Honors Thesis: “Folk Songs in Flux: Investigating

Pluralism in the Ongoing Construction of Lithuanian
Identity Through Music.”
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
2021 – 2027 Collaborator (PI Dr. Amelie Quesnel-Vallee). Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven
Decision-Making (CAnD3): Developing Talent for Population Analytics in Aging
Societies. (All Stages Funding: $2,499,600 CAD).

2021 #GiveTLH Grant, Third Place, awarded for Beyond the Pantry basic needs non-
profit by Rick Kearney’s Beatitude Foundation ($2,500)

2021 #GiveTLH Microgrant Finalist, awarded for Beyond the Pantry basic needs non-
profit by Rick Kearney’s Beatitude Foundation ($1,000)

2020 The COVID-19 Career Coaching Fellowship for Women Fighting COVID-19

2019 P.E.O. Scholar Award (national), given by the International Chapter of P.E.O.,
nominated by Chapter IC, Tallahassee, FL ($15,000)

2019 Florida State University, Conference Travel Grant, American Sociological

Association Annual Meeting ($300)

2018 Florida State University, Conference Travel Grant, Southern Sociological Society
Conference ($300)

2017 Phi Kappa Phi National Honors Society, Love of Learning Award, Research
Stipend ($500)

2017 Florida State University, Conference Travel Grant, Southern Sociological Society
Conference ($300)

2016 Florida State University, Conference Travel Grant, Southern Sociological Society
Conference ($300)

2015 Florida State University, Dean’s Conference Travel Grant, Fulbright Association
Conference ($2,000)

2014 American Association of Baltic Studies, Conference Travel Grant, Yale

University ($500)

2014 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS) ($5,500)

2013 Central European University Travel Grant, 10th conference on Baltic Studies in
Europe (500 EUR)

2013 Central European University Research Grant, awarded for MA thesis project in
Lithuania (500 EUR)

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 2

2012 Central European University Alumni Scholarship Recipient (500,000 HUF)

2012 Central European University Master’s Fellowship (500,000 HUF)

2012 Smith-Mundt Grant, U.S. Embassy Vilnius, Lithuania, Dainos for Diversity
Tolerance Education Project, ($3,000)

2011 Fulbright-Hays Grant, U.S. Embassy Vilnius, Lithuania, Dainos for Diversity
Tolerance Education Project, ($3,000)

2010 Fulbright Language Stipend, awarded for Lithuanian language coursework at

Vilnius University ($1,000)

2010 Fulbright Fellowship, Study and Research Grant, Ethnomusicology, Vilnius,

Lithuania ($18,000)

2010 The Billings Award in Music, Wellesley College ($500)

2009 Russian Area Studies Department, Summer Language Stipend, awarded for
Lithuanian language coursework at Vilnius University in Lithuania ($750)

2009 Marshall L. Goldman Undergraduate Research Travel Grant, Davis Center for
Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University ($4,500)

2009 Wellesley College Multicultural Research Grant ($500)

HONORS, AWARDS, AND NOMINATIONS

2021 Nominee, Gloria T. Lessan Graduate Teaching Award, Department of Sociology,
Florida State University

2019 Inductee, The Fellows Society, Florida State University

2019 Nominee, Osher Life-Long Learning Institute Scholarship, Florida State

University

2018 Nominee, University Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Florida State

University

2017 Inductee, Seminole Torchbearers Leadership Society, Florida State University

2017 Nominee, K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award, Association of American

Colleges & Universities

2017 Elected member, Golden Key International Honour Society, Florida State
University Chapter

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 3

2017 Elected member, Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Florida State University
Chapter

2016 Sole Recipient, University Undergraduate Advising Award, Florida State

University

2016 Inductee, Alpha Kappa Delta, Sociology Honors Society, Florida State University

2015 Recipient, Phi Eta Sigma Service Excellence Award, Florida State University

2013 Honors in Social Anthropology, Master’s Thesis, Central European University

2012 Recipient, Central European University Alumni Scholarship

2010 Honors in Anthropology, Senior Honors Thesis, Wellesley College

2010 The Billings Performance Award in Music, Wellesley College

PEER-REVEIWED PUBLICATIONS
Ueno, Koji, Lacey Ritter, Randi Ingram, Taylor Jackson, Randi Ingram, Emily Šaras, Jason
D’Amours, and Jessi Grace (2022). “Customer Harassment Against LGBTQ Workers:
Highlighting Its Uniqueness as a Group-Based Customer Harassment.” Equity, Diversity,
and Inclusion. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-07-2021-0165

Ueno, Koji, Taylor M. Jackson, Emily Daina Šaras, Jessi Grace, Jason D’Amours, and Amanda
N. Nix (2021). “Sexuality Discourses and LGBQ Students’ Interpretations of Campus
Climate in the Contemporary US.” Journal of Homosexuality.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2021.2013039

Ueno, Koji, Jason D’Amours, Amanda N. Nix, Emily Daina Šaras, Jessi Grace, and Taylor M.
Jackson (2021). “LGBQ College Students’ Divergent Narratives of Peer Harassment in
the Southeastern US.” Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.
https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000258

Ueno, Koji, Taylor Jackson, Randi Ingram, Jessi Grace, and Emily Daina Šaras (2019). “Sexual
Minority Young Adults’ Construction of Workplace Acceptance in the Era of Diversity
and Inclusion.” Social Currents. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329496519888539

Ueno, Koji, Jessi Grace, and Emily Daina Šaras (2019). “Sexual orientation, partnership status,
and work patterns among US young adults.” Research in Social Stratification and
Mobility. Volume 62, August 2019, 100411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2019.100411

Šaras, Emily Daina and Lara Perez-Felkner (2019). “Warming the Chill: Insights for
Institutions and Researchers to Keep Women in STEM.” in Special Issue: Advancing
Higher Education Research on Undergraduate Women in STEM. New Directions for
Institutional Research. Pp. 115 – 137. https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.20278

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 4

PAPERS IN AN EDITED VOLUME
Šaras, Emily Daina and Lara Perez-Felkner (2018). “Sociological Perspectives on
Socialization.” Oxford Bibliographies in Sociology. Ed. Lynette Spillman. New York:
Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/OBO/9780199756384-0155

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). Ancient Songs at Millennial Moments. Lituanus: Lithuanian
Quarterly Journal. Vol. 59, Issue 2, pp. 52-69. http://www.lituanus.org/
2013/13_2_04Saras.html

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). “Dogma in Dialogue: Crossing Religious and Cultural Divides
Within LGBTQ Advocacy.” The Activist: July 2013 Issue. pp. 22-23.
http://bit.ly/TheActivist2013CEU

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). “Transcending the Five Senses: the reality of synesthesia as a
posthuman sensory action, defying centuries of sense typology.” Imponderabilia. Issue 5,
30-32. http://bit.ly/Imponderabilia2013

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). “The Synesthetic Scientist: The Induction of Sense-Mixing to Open
New Frontiers in the Laboratory.” Pulse. Vol. 1, Issue 1, pp. 42-53.
http://bit.ly/PulseCEU2013

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Trouble, Boggle, Taboo: Playing the game of ethnography.”
Imponderabilia, Vol. 2, pp 22-24. http://bit.ly/Imponderabilia2010

Šaras, Emily Daina (2009). “Identity through Dainos: the Creation of Lithuanian Folk Identity.”
Imponderabilia, Vol. 1, pp. 40-41. http://bit.ly/Imponderabilia2009

PAPERS IN PROGRESS

Erichsen, Kristen, Emily Daina Šaras, and Lara Perez-Felkner (in progress). “Towards
Institutional Transformation: Warming the Chilly Climate for Women in STEM Through
Macrostructural Change.”

PUBLIC SOCIOLOGY
Šaras, Emily Daina (2018). “From the Classroom: Students Documenting and Analyzing Social
Movement Development Following the Parkland, FL Shooting.” Wicked Solutions.
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, Florida State University.
http://bit.ly/WickedSolutions-2018Saras

Šaras, Emily Daina, TehQuin Forbes and Kristen Erichsen (2018). “Won’t You[r Money] Be
Mine? The Marketability of Queer Inclusivity on Valentine’s Day.” Wicked Solutions.
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, Florida State University.
http://bit.ly/WickedSolutions-2018SarasForbesErichsen

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 5

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). “Abandoning Spirituality, or Abandoning Sexuality? Mediation
Between Faith and Identity within LGBTQ Activism.” Re.Framing Activism. University
of Sussex. http://reframe.sussex.ac.uk/activistmedia/2013/08/1109/

Šaras, Emily Daina (2012). “Faith, Family, and Feminism: A Conversation with Activist
Maryam Saghir.” International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Youth &
Student Organisation Journal: Issue 20, pp. 22-26. http://bit.ly/IGLYO2013

Šaras, Emily Daina (2012). “He Said, She Said, and Everything in Between: International youth
speak about the gendered grammars and vocabularies that structure their native
languages.” International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Youth &
Student Organisation Journal: Issue 20, pp. 22-26. http://bit.ly/IGLYO2012

Šaras, Emily Daina (2011). “A problem, not a person: the situation of Trans youth in
Lithuania.” International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer Youth & Student
Organisation Journal. Issue 15, pp. 17-19. http://bit.ly/IGLYO2011

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Songs of the Musical People: Stories from a summer doing
ethnomusicology research in Lithuania.” Bridges: Lithuanian American Journal. March
Issue, pp. 10. http://bit.ly/Bridges2010

TEACHING
SUMMER 2021 Social Statistics (SYO 4400), Online, 65 students

SPRING 2021 Biostatistics, Bachelor’s in Public Health Program, Online, 80 students

FALL 2020 Biostatistics, Bachelor’s in Public Health Program, Online, 80 students

FALL 2020 Families and Social Change (SYO 3100), Online, 60 students

SUMMER 2020 Social Statistics (SYO 4400), Online, 120 students

SPRING 2020 Social Statistics (SYO 4400), Online, 120 students

FALL 2019 Social Statistics (SYO 4400), In-Person, 49 students

SUMMER 2019 Social Statistics (SYO 4400), In-Person, 49 students

SPRING 2019 Families and Social Change (SYO 3100), In-Person, 49 students

SPRING 2018 Collective Behavior and Social Movements (SYO 3350), In-Person,
70 students

FALL 2017 Families and Social Change (SYO 3100), In-Person, 70 students

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 6

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
SPRING 2021 Social Statistics and Data Analysis for Master’s in Public Health Program
(SYA 5458), Hybrid Course. Instructor: Dr. Michael McFarland

SPRING 2021 Sociological Theory (SYA 4010), Online. Instructor: Dr. Teresa Roach

FALL 2018 Sociological Theory (SYA 4010), In-person. Instructor: Dr. Miranda
Waggoner

FALL 2018 Death and Dying (SYA 3741), Online. Instructor: Dr. Miles Taylor

SUMMER 2017 Families and Social Change (SYO 3100), Online. Instructor: Dr. Lisa
Weinberg

SPRING 2017 Methods of Social Research (SYA 4300), Online. Instructor: Dr. Clayton
Gumber

FALL 2016 Families and Social Change (SYO 3100), In-person. Instructor: Dr. Irene
Padavic

SUMMER 2016 Deviance and Social Control (SYP 4570), Online. Instructor: Dr. Lisa
Weinberg

SPRING 2016 Sociology of Politics (SYO 4300), Online. Instructor: Dr. Daniel Tope

FALL 2015 Sociology of Marriage & Family (SYG 2430), Online. Instructor: Alex
Raphael

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2022 – PRESENT Chief Executive Officer and Data Scientist Tallahassee, FL

2021 – 2022 Chief Strategy Officer and Data Scientist
2018 – 2020 Director of Business Development and Data Scientist
Knowli, Corp.: Knowli Data Science; Knowli Consulting, LLC.

Leads Knowli at the corporate level: aligning our operational efforts with the company's vision,
developing and implementing strategy, and driving company decision-making. Establish new
partnerships with the Florida State University Claude Pepper Center, the Florida State University
Claude Pepper Institute, the Florida State University Public Health Program, and the McGill
University Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3). Data scientist
with subject matter expertise in education and public health.

Knowli’s major clients include (begins on the next page):

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 7

Florida Department of Children and Families
• Produce reports and data visualizations using Substance Abuse and Mental Health data to
meet the needs of Agency Leadership, Legislature, and federal reporting requirements.

United States of Care, 501(c)(3)

• Partner with ISF, Inc. to develop and implement a data warehousing solution that
supports internal analysis and reporting of polling and interview data.
• Develop dashboard solutions that communicate findings to external stakeholders.

South Carolina Health and Human Services: Healthy Connections Medicaid

• Produce reports and data visualizations using Medicaid data to meet the needs of Agency
Leadership, Agency partners, and legislative and federal reporting requirements.
• Analyze Medicaid program and performance metrics to inform and expedite the data-
driven decision-making process, supporting the Chief of Staff and Director’s initiatives.

Florida Department of Health: Office of Minority Health and Health Equity

• Evaluation of the Severe Maternal Morbidity Telemedicine Pilot Program.
• Analysis of Health Disparities among People Living with Disability.
• Analysis of Health Disparities among Black Women of Reproductive Age.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission: Office of Inspector General (HHSC OIG)
• Develop and deploy advanced algorithms to detect fraud, waste, and abuse in the Texas
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Florida Guardian Ad Litem (FGAL)

• Analysis for Legislative Reporting: Disparities in Time to Case Closure.

Independent Living Systems (ILS)

• Design and deploy custom executive management dashboard solutions to inform
decision-making for Florida Community Care (FCC) and Florida Complete Care (FC2).
• Develop key performance indicators and automated data visualizations to support
understanding of near-real-time trends in health care data, including pharmacy claims,
health care claims, care management data, utilization, and enrollment.

Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA)

• Produce reports and data visualizations using Medicaid data to meet the needs of Agency
Leadership, Agency partners, and legislative and federal reporting requirements.
• Analyze Medicaid program enrollment, claims, encounters, and health quality and
performance metrics to inform and expedite the data-driven decision-making process.

Executive Office of the Governor of Florida

• Team formally deployed by the Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration
to directly serve on the COVID-19 emergency response effort for the State of Florida led
by the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida.

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 8

 • Design and iteratively update major analytic reports repots distributed daily to Florida
Leadership for internal assessment of hospitalizations, vaccinations, and interventions.
• Provide analytic responses to urgent ad hoc requests from Florida Leadership, including
the Governor, Surgeon General, Chief of Staff for Health and Human Services, Secretary
of the Agency for Health Care Administration, and Director of Medicaid.
• Develop accessible and informative infographics, data visualizations, and reporting
schema for distribution of COVID-19 information to the public. Analytic work of our
team featured in national outlets such as the New York Times, Politico, Fox News,
MSNBC, as well as various local and statewide publications.

Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University

• Secure and manage 3-year, $160,000 education survey management contract to evaluate
the Southern Scholarship Foundation in a randomized control trial study in conjunction
with an interdisciplinary social science research team at Florida State University and
Temple University. Contract supported by the ECMC Foundation.

Believe In Students
• Manage the selection and disbursement of survey incentives for national COVID-19
survey of college students across the US.

2016 – 2018 Student Outcomes Analyst Tallahassee, FL

The Office of Institutional Research
Florida State University

• Conducted original analyses on FSU student post-graduation outcomes in collaboration

with the Office of the Provost and the FSU Career Center.
• Presented findings to executive-level administrators to support the data-driven decision-
making process.
• Managed and reported on all student outcomes data related to the Florida Board of
Governors’ performance funding metrics, the university's preeminence status, and the
FSU Top 25 Initiative.

2014 –2016 Assistant Director Tallahassee, FL

The Office of National Fellowships
Florida State University

• Advised and mentored a caseload of 500+ students in the application process for
prestigious, competitive fellowships.
• Coached students to strategically align academic, personal, and campus engagement
goals with applications for funding for research and creative endeavors.
• Spearheaded the new Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, strategically building a
fellowships applicant pool representative of Florida State University’s undergraduate
talent.
• Supervised undergraduate interns.

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 9

2013 –2014 College and Career Program Coordinator Boston, MA
Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, AmeriCorps

• Selected from 600+ applicants for a prestigious fellowship committed to social justice.
• Developed and implemented a year-long college and career curriculum, establishing
long-term programmatic sustainability through the coordination and support of mentoring
matches with community partners and volunteers.
• Advised a caseload of 60+ students in grades 7–12.

INVITED PANELS, WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES

FALL 2022 Invited Panel: “Sociology Career Panel.” Academic Data Science
Alliance, a project of the Hopewell Fund.
Invited by: Dr. Stella Min

FALL 2022 Invited Panel: “Time Management Tips and Tricks.” McGill University,
Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3).
Invited by: Dr. Amelie Quesnel-Vallee

FALL 2022 Invited Panel: “The Many Faces of Population Aging: From Big Picture to
Big Decisions.” McGill University, Consortium on Analytics for Data-
Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3).
Invited by: Dr. Amelie Quesnel-Vallee

SPRING 2022 Invited Workshop: “Competitive Personal Statements.” Florida State

University, Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards
Invited by: Dr. Adrienne Stephenson.

FALL 2021 Invited Panel: “The Many Faces of Population Aging: From Big Picture to
Big Decisions.” McGill University, Consortium on Analytics for Data-
Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3), Montreal, Canada.
Co-Presenters: Paul Holyoke (SE Health), Janice Keefe (Nova Scotia
Centre on Aging & MSVU).
Invited by: Dr. Amelie Quesnel-Vallee

FALL 2021 Invited Workshop: “Crafting and Drafting Effective Personal Statements.”
Florida State University, Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards
Invited by: Dr. Adrienne Stephenson.

FALL 2019 Invited Workshop: “#RealCollege Research Methodology.”

#RealCollege: A National Convening on Food and Housing Insecurity.
Houston Community College’s West Houston Institute, Houston, Texas.
Co-presenters: Drs. Christine Baker-Smith, Lara Perez-Felkner, and
Katharine Broton.
Invited by: Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab.

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FALL 2019 Invited Lecture: “Research Methodology with Food and Housing
Insecure Undergraduate Students.” Sociology of Education (EDF 5630)
Florida State University, Department of Education Policy and Leadership
Instructor: Dr. Lara Perez-Felkner

SUMMER 2019 Invited Workshop: “Medicaid Quality Measures: Analytics and

Dashboarding in Tableau.”
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

SPRING 2018 Invited Lecture: “Visible and Invisible Marginality in Education.”

Sociology of Education (EDF 5630)
Florida State University, Department of Education Policy and Leadership
Instructor: Dr. Lara Perez-Felkner

FALL 2017 Invited Lecture: “Examining Health as a Social Problem.”

Social Problems (SYO 2010)
Florida State University, Department of Sociology
Instructor: Andrew Latinsky

SUMMER 2016 Invited Workshop: “Fellowships and Social Justice Frameworks:

(In)Active Roles of Fellowships Advisors in the Replication of Social
Privilege in Higher Education.”
Co-presenter: Dr. Brandy Simula.
National Association of Fellowships Advisors Diversity and Inclusion
Conference, Claremont, CA.

SUMMER 2015 Invited Lecture: “Issues of Invisibility and Intersectionality in LGBTQ+

Intimate Partner Violence.”
Sociology of Sexuality (SYA 4930)
Florida State University, Department of Sociology
Instructor: Dr. Teresa Roach

WINTER 2014 Invited Workshop: “From Wellesley to the World: My Fulbright

Fellowship Experience.”
Wellesley College Career Center: Fellowships Office
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

FALL 2012 Invited Panel Session: “Partner violence in LGBTQ Relationships.”

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Human RightS Initiative, Central European University

FALL 2012 Invited Panel Session: “Neofascism in the Baltic Region.”

Blow Fascism Away: International Day Against Fascism
Human RightS Initiative, Central European University

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 11

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Šaras, Emily Daina (2019). “State-sponsored Cultural and Educational Programming: Mitigating
and Replicating Institutional Racism and Ethnocentrism in Organizational Systems of the
State.” Panel: Fulbright Students as Cultural Boundary Brokers: Three Case Studies for
Educational Change. Panel Organizer: Dr. Christine Beresniova. Fulbright Association
Annual Conference: Washington, D.C.
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (presenter on behalf of Agency) (2019).
“Employing Medicaid and Vital Statistics Data to Address the Opioid Epidemic.”
Medicaid Enterprise Systems Conference: Chicago, IL.

Ueno, Koji, Emily Šaras, Jessi Grace, Randi B. Ingram, Taylor Jackson (2019). “Sexual Minority
Young Adults’ Experiences of Heteronormativity in Contemporary US Workplaces.”
American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY.

Šaras, Emily Daina, Lara Perez-Felkner, Samantha Nix (2019). “Warming the Chill: Mitigating
Institutional-Level Factors of ‘Chilly Climates’ for Women in STEM Education.”
American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, New York, NY.

Šaras, Emily Daina, Lara Perez-Felkner, Samantha Nix (2019). “Warming the Chill: Insights for
Institutions and Researchers to Keep Women in STEM.” American Educational Research
Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2018). “The Efficacy of Undergraduate STEM Intervention Programs
for Underrepresented Minorities: Results from One University.” Southern Sociological
Society Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2018). “Disparities in Experiential Learning: Examining Diversity and
Inclusion in Co-Curricular High Impact Practices at One Southern Public University.”
Southern Sociological Society Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Ueno, Koji, Jessi Grace, and Emily D. Šaras (2018). Sexual Orientation and Work Patterns in
Young Adulthood. Presentation, American Sociological Association, Philadelphia.
Hunt, James, Smriti Ingrole, and Emily Daina Šaras (2018). “Data Visualization as a Catalyst:
Informing Decisions and Academic Research.” Association of Institutional Research,
Tampa, FL.

Tabulda, Galiya, Smriti Ingrole, and Emily Daina Šaras (2017). “Assessment of an Institutional
Campaign to Increase First-Semester FTIC Student Course Load: Differential GPA
Outcomes across Student Socioeconomic Status.” Presented at the Southern Association
of Institutional Research, Fort Worth, TX.

Šaras, Emily Daina, Smriti Ingrole, and Galiya Tabulda (2017). “Assessment of an Institutional
Campaign to Increase First-Semester FTIC Student Course Load: Differential GPA
Outcomes across Student Socioeconomic Status.” Association for the Study of Higher
Education Annual Conference, Houston, TX.

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 12

Šaras, Emily Daina (2017). “Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Undergraduate STEM Intervention
Programs.” Southern Sociological Society Conference, Greenville, SC.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2016). “Association of Religious Behaviors and Beliefs with Violent
Parenting Practices.” Southern Sociological Society Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Šaras, Emily Daina and Latika Young (2016). “Making Global Education Accessible: Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion in International Education.” Fulbright Association Annual
Conference, Washington, DC.

Šaras, Emily Daina and Latika Young (2015). “Inclusion and Diversity in Global Engagement
Programming: Increasing Undergraduate Participation.” Fulbright Association Annual
Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Filar, D. Craig, Joshua Stanek, and Emily Daina Šaras (2015). “Best Practices for Intentional
Early Engagement with Students from Underrepresented Populations.” National
Association of Fellowships Advisors Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Mox, Kyle, Linda Dunleavy and Emily Daina Šaras (2015). “Pride or Hide: Approaches for
Advising LGBTQ+ Fellowship Applicants.” National Association of Fellowships
Advisors Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2015). “Winning Isn’t Everything: Advising Theory and Practices in the
Prestigious Fellowships Field.” National Association of Fellowships Advisors Annual
Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Šaras, Emily Daina, Joshua Stanek, and Rachel Crooks (2015). “Elite, Not Elitist: Inclusion,
Accessibility, and Diversity Within the Prestigious Fellowships Field.” Multicultural
Leadership Summit, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2014). “Enchanted Folk Music and the Development of Cultural Capital:
Lithuania’s Millennial National Brand.” Baltic and Scandinavian Studies Conference,
Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2013). “Ancient Songs at Millennial Moments: state-sponsored folk in post-
Soviet Lithuania.” Baltic and Scandinavian Studies Conference, Association for the
Advancement of Baltic Studies, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Folk Songs in Flux: Pluralism in the Ongoing Construction of
Lithuanian Identity through Music.” Davis Center for Russian Area Studies
Undergraduate Colloquium, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Ancient Songs and Current Constructions: Music in the Ongoing
Development of Lithuanian Identity.” Ruhlman Conference, Wellesley College,
Wellesley, MA.

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 13

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Dainos of Independence: How Lithuanians are Using Folk Song to
Reestablish Ethnic Identity.” Greater Boston Anthropology Consortium, Wellesley
College, Wellesley, MA.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2010). “Identity through Dainos: the use of music in the construction of
Lithuanian nationality and ethnicity.” Tanner Conference, Wellesley College, Wellesley,
MA.
Šaras, Emily Daina (2019). “Trouble, Boggle, Taboo! Playing the Game of Anthropology.”
Tanner Conference, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA.

Šaras, Emily Daina (2009). “Research Methodology Discussion: Identity through Dainos: the use
of music in the construction of Lithuanian nationality and ethnicity.” Davis Center for
Russian Area Studies Undergraduate Research Talks, Harvard University, Cambridge,
MA.

CERTIFICATIONS

2022 Graduate, Small Business Executive Program

Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, Florida State University

2016 College Life Coaching Skills Training Certificate (8 hours)

Advising First: Center for College Life Coaching, Florida State University

2015 Teacher Training and Online Teaching Assistant Training (8 hours)

Program for Instructional Excellence, Florida State University

2014 Global Partners Certificate (10 hours), Florida State University

2014 Non-Profit Leadership Institute Certificate (30 hours)

Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, Northeastern University

2013 Youth Worker Certificate (32 hours), Health Resources in Action (HRiA)

2012 Fundraising Certificate (8 hours)

Human RightS Initiative (HRSI), Central European University

SERVICE TO THE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT

2020 – 2021 Elected Department Policy Committee Representative
Sociology Graduate Student Union, Florida State University

2019 – 2020 Elected Graduate Program Committee Representative

Sociology Graduate Student Union, Florida State University

2018 – 2019 Elected Coordinator, Graduate Student Mentorship Program

Sociology Graduate Student Union, Florida State University

Šaras CV, Updated February 2023 Page | 14

2017 – 2018 Elected Committee Representative, Graduate Program Policy
Sociology Graduate Student Union, Florida State University

2016 – 2018 Treasurer

Alpha Kappa Delta Society, Florida State University Chapter

2012 – 2013 Elected Departmental Representative Member

Student Union, Central European University

2008 – 2010 Founder and President, Anthrophilia Student Organization

Department of Anthropology, Wellesley College

SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY

2022 – PRESENT Member, Master of Public Health Advisory Council
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, Florida State University

2018 Member, Faculty Reading Group

Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Florida State University

2017 – 2018 Member, Engage 100 Subcommittee, Florida State University

2017 – 2018 Member, Space Utilization Committee, Florida State University

2017 – 2018 Member, Applied Learning Committee, Florida State University

2016 – 2018 Representative, Graduation Task Force, Florida State University

2016 – 2018 Representative, Enrollment Management, Florida State University

2015 – 2017 External Reviewer, Honors in the Major Appeals, Florida State University

2015 Cluster Facilitator, LeaderShape Institute, Florida State University

2014 – 2018 Overall Program Advisor, Garnet and Gold Scholars Society

2012 – 2013 President, Student Union, Central European University

SERVICE TO ACADEMIA
2020 Invited Reviewer, Sociology of Education.

2020 Invited Reviewer, Gender & Society.

2019 Review Panelist, Critical Language Scholarship

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2017 Reviewer, Annual Conference Proposals. Association for the Study of
Higher Education.

2017 – 2018 Elected Liaison to Association of Institutional Research

Florida Association of Institutional Research

2017 Conference Volunteer, Southern Sociological Society Conference.

2016 Selection Panelist, Undergraduate Social Action Grant, Sociologists for

Women in Society National Organization.

2015 – 2016 Review Panelist, Gilman Scholarship

2015 – 2016 Member, Communications and Technology Committee

National Association of Fellowships Advisors (NAFA)

2015 Review Panelist, Critical Language Scholarship

2014 US Fulbright Alumni Volunteer, Fulbright Enrichment Seminar

Leadership in Action – Effecting Political Change, Providence, RI

2013 Managing Editor. Pulse: A History, Sociology, & Philosophy of Science

Journal. Central European University.

2013 Editorial Board Member. The Activist. Central European University.

2008 – 2010 Section Editor. Imponderabilia. University of Cambridge.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Sociological Association (ASA)
Sociology of Education Section; Science, Knowledge, and Technology Section
American Education Research Association (AERA)
Division J: Postsecondary Education Member; Sociology of Education Special Interest
Group Member
Association of the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
Southern Sociological Society (SSS)
Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS)

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

2022 – PRESENT Member, GFWC Junior Woman's Club of Midtown, Tallahassee Chapter

2021 – PRESENT President and Founding Board Member, Beyond the Pantry, 501(c)(3)
Non-profit focused on sourcing hygiene products and everyday necessities
for folks experiencing housing and basic needs insecurity, partnering with
local mutual aid groups and charitable efforts for direct distribution.

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2020 – 2022 Member, Food Not Bombs, Tallahassee Chapter
Mutual aid group focused on distribution of vegan meals and groceries.

2016 – 2020 Secretary, Fulbright Association, North Florida Chapter

2015 – 2020 Board Member, Fulbright Association, North Florida Chapter

2015 – 2017 Mentor, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tallahassee, FL

2011 – 2013 Member, Tolerant Youth Association, Vilnius, Lithuania

2011 – 2012 Volunteer Communications Officer

Lithuanian Gay League, Vilnius, Lithuania

ACADEMIC REFERENCES

Dr. John Reynolds

Professor
Department of Sociology
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
Florida State University
john.reynolds@fsu.edu

Dr. Irene Padavic

Mildred and Claude Pepper Distinguished Professor of Sociology
Department of Sociology
College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
Florida State University
ipadavic@fsu.edu, 850-644-6416

Dr. Lara Perez-Felkner

Associate Professor
Department of Higher Education
College of Education
Florida State University
lperezfelkner@fsu.edu

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