معرفی
Melissa A. Waters is a Professor of Law at Washington University School of Law, specializing in international law, foreign relations law, and international human rights law. Her research focuses on the integration of international legal norms into domestic systems through judicial dialogue and treaty incorporation. She serves on the Faculty Advisory Board of the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute and acts as Washington University’s Ambassador to Utrecht University via the McDonnell International Scholars Academy. Previously, she was a visiting faculty fellow at the Brookings Institution.
- Education: B.A. magna cum laude, Yale College; J.D., Yale Law School.
Her scholarship explores transnational judicial dialogue, the use of foreign law in constitutional interpretation, and the role of international courts in shaping domestic legal frameworks. Her work has been cited by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, highlighting its impact on legal theory and practice. Waters also specializes in designing rule of law training programs for transitional democracies, collaborating with the State Department, Department of Justice, and ABA/CEELI to educate judges and officials from Iraq and Central Asia. Her efforts have been featured in media outlets such as NPR’s All Things Considered.
- Notable Contributions: Active in legal training initiatives, policy advising, and transnational legal scholarship.
Her publications span topics including the death penalty’s global decline, judicial deference frameworks, and historical trends in international law integration. Waters’ career bridges academia, government service, and international capacity-building efforts.
