Marcela González-Rivas

Marcela González-Rivas is an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Her work bridges academic research with practical policy analysis, focusing on equity in water governance and sustainability.

• Affiliation: University of Pittsburgh (Graduate School of Public and International Affairs)

Research Interests: Marcela investigates how uneven access to water resources is shaped by policy decisions, with a regional focus on Mexico and Latin America. Recent projects analyze Pittsburgh’s water challenges, emphasizing sustainable and equitable urban systems. Themes include:

• Water equity during emergencies (e.g., pandemic shutoff policies)
• Public vs. private water utility models
• Decentralization and community participation in infrastructure planning
• Regional inequality and trade policy impacts
• Legacies of governance structures in water systems

Publications: Her scholarship spans empirical analyses of water pricing, privatization resistance, and comparative policy frameworks, with methodological emphasis on experiential learning and stakeholder-driven solutions.