Priscilla Coli

Priscilla Coli is an Associate Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and a PhD Candidate in City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. She specializes in urbanization in the Global South, criminal governance, and peripheries. Her teaching experience includes courses such as Teoria Urbana and Paisagismo at the Pontifical Catholic University, and roles as Lead Instructor and GSI in urban studies courses at UC Berkeley.

Education:

• Master of Science in Urban Design, Columbia University
• Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Urbanism, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Her research focuses on criminal actors and urban governance dynamics in marginalized urban areas, bridging urban theory and policy. She has received numerous awards, including the 2020 Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award and multiple grants supporting her dissertation and fieldwork.

Awards & Recognition:

• Over 14 awards and fellowships from 2008 to 2024, including scholarships from Brazil’s Ministry of Science and Technology and UC Berkeley’s Global Metropolitan Studies program.

Teaching & Advising: She has served as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) at UC Berkeley since 2018, leading courses on urban communities and theories. Her roles combine academic research with hands-on teaching in urban planning and design.