Monica Pauls is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Child Studies and Social Work at Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary, Alberta. She teaches in the Bachelor of Child Studies (BCST), predominantly in the areas of program design and evaluation, research methods, systems and social policy, and child and youth care practice. Monica prioritizes the connection between theory and practice by creating a participatory learning environment, partnering with agencies and organizations in the field and providing opportunities for the practical application of knowledge.

Before her academic role at MRU, Monica worked as the Coordinator for Alberta-based Research Projects at the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF) and as a Policy Analyst for the United Way of Calgary and Area.  Prior to this, she worked for several years with at-risk youth in schools, community programs and residential facilities.

Monica recently completed her PhD in Sociology at the University of Calgary. Her dissertation explored the use of social media (specifically Twitter/X), among a small sample of youth activists in the international climate change movement and the American gun control movement. She focused not only on how the activists use Twitter for their work, but also considered the ways in which the platform influences and constructs what is happening online. She is currently working on a book based on this research. Monica is also developing a new project on the effectiveness of peer mental health support in youth communities that develop on social media.