معرفی
Gina Rico Méndez is an Assistant Research Professor at Mississippi State University's Social Science Research Center (SSRC), with academic roots in the Department of Political Science within the College of Arts and Sciences. Her work bridges policy research and international development, particularly focusing on rural governance and food security.
Her research interests center on public policy and its real-world impacts, especially in underserved communities. With a background in political science and human settlement studies, she explores how policy shapes human behavior and land use, particularly in rural and developing contexts. Her current work focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of school feeding programs in Africa through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education initiative.
Although no specific publications are listed in the provided text, her research trajectory emphasizes applied policy analysis, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global food security challenges—indicating strong engagement with development economics, agricultural policy, and public administration.
- Fulbright Fellowship recipient
She serves as principal investigator on USDA-funded research, leading a multidisciplinary team from MSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics, Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, and the SSRC. While no formal advisees are mentioned, her leadership role suggests mentorship of junior researchers and collaboration across national and international teams.
She is actively embedded in the research infrastructure at MSU through the Systems Change Lab and the SSRC, which fosters collaborative, policy-relevant research with societal impact.
