معرفی
Gina Rico Mendez serves as Research and Learning Manager for the Fish Innovation Lab and holds dual appointments as Assistant Research Professor and Research Fellow at Mississippi State University's Social Science Research Center. She also collaborates with the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute.
Her research centers on food systems analysis, rural development, and gender/social inclusion within agricultural contexts. As a social scientist and policy researcher, she examines complex interactions between natural resource management, human behavior, and institutional frameworks affecting food security. Her work emphasizes evidence-based Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) approaches in development settings across Latin America, North America, and Africa.
Scientific recognition includes a Fulbright Scholarship supporting her doctoral studies. Her professional focus integrates policy analysis with on-ground community engagement to address food and nutrition security challenges.
Rico Mendez provides technical support for human outcomes improvement through the Fish Innovation Lab's MEL efforts. Her background in political science and habitat studies informs her systems-based approach to innovations in aquaculture and fisheries, recognizing their embeddedness in socio-institutional contexts.
