Da Silva Matos Melina

My name is Melina Matos, and I am currently a master student of Public Administration at Texas Tech University, with the concentration on sustainable policies. I am fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Since my graduation in architect and urbanism in 2004, I have been working as an urban planner, with the focus on identification, evaluation and recommendation of public policies related social and economic development. I acquired my experience along works developed in more than 30 different cities in Brazil including metropolitan areas and capitals located in several states.

Because of my outstanding performance, I was selected for a scholarship by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in the United States to have the international opportunity of studying and exchanging experience in the country of Peru (2007) and Guatemala (2012). These experiences strengthened my passion for working for public policy in developing countries. To follow my dreams, I decided to acquire more knowledge in public policies and have international experiences in the United States of America as a center of best public policies and administration.

As a student in the United States, in 2015, I received two awards: Wolfgang Pindur Endowed Scholarship in Applied Research and American Society for Public Administration Hampton Roads Chapter student scholarship award. As an enthusiastic student, I would like to get my Ph.D. in this field of study and work with research projects and public policies that can improve the quality of life in America and also in developing countries.