Sarah Elizabeth Yoho
Qualitative Researcher. Anthropologist. Strategist.
An ethnographer at the intersection of humans, environment & society.
About
Curiosity. Empathy. Connection.
Research
Humans. Environment. Society.
Portfolio
People. Place. Technology.
About seyoho
Anthropologist. n. One who studies the science of human beings.
I am an energetic, collaborative, strategic, and creative anthropologist and qualitative researcher. I love connecting with people, connecting the dots, and connecting user needs with workable products and actionable outcomes.
I spent my early career living and working abroad, and, to paraphrase Thoreau, living deeply. I learned how to scuba dive in the Australian Great Barrier Reef, how to survive monsoon season in southern Madagascar, and how to make the most of serendipitous connections anywhere. From working in bakeries and fine dining to project managing multinational policy action to crossfunctional stakeholder engagement, I developed a unique skillset based on strategy, creativity, and global connection. I also realized that being able to ask questions with empathy and to really listen to the answers was my superpower. To me, asking good questions and engagement with the answers is what ethnography is all about.
I developed my superpower by obtaining a public health/medical anthropology Masters at the ANU in Australia, followed by work as a mixed methods research consultant. I was then hired as an early career researcher for the European Union where I was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow. As a Fellow, I worked on several overlapping end-to-end research projects as well as EU policy, public-private partnerships, and multimedia products and deliverables. In my favorite research-to-design project, I used qualitative research methods to generate deep insight from tourists, migrants, and viticulturists in Italy that my team and I used to prototype an interactive video game and to create educational VR films. One of my VR films was exhibited in the world's largest science and technology museum!
I love research, love asking why, and love using my foundational skills to inform, to strategize, and to produce a brighter tomorrow.
At the nexus of people, environment & society.
I am interested in how people relate to their environment and how the environment relates to people. These interactions often contribute to society and how we engage with the physical and social world which then affects everything from social media trends to politics to the food we eat. How so? To answer that, I'd be more than happy to share a few case studies.
I have led my own qualitative and ethnographic research projects in Italy and the USA. I have also been part of qualitative and mixed research projects in the USA, Australia, Madagascar, the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Italy. My favorite research site is a toss up between my work in Madagascar and in Italy - it's hard to choose between cheeky lemurs and the absolutely stunning Italian landscape!
Portfolio: People, place & technology
