Edwin Melendez

Edwin Meléndez is a Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at Hunter College and the Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. He has conducted considerable research in the areas of Puerto Rican and Latino studies, economic development, labor markets, and poverty. In addition to numerous scientific papers and other publications, he is the author or editor of thirteen books including State of Puerto Ricans 2017 (Centro Press), Puerto Ricans at the Dawn of the New Millennium (Centro Press, 2014) and Latinos in a Changing Society (Praeger, 2007). Professor Melendez has an extensive record of community and public service, including numerous appointments to government and community boards. Among other local and national organizations, he is a member of the UnidosUS (National Council of la Raza) Board of Directors, and of the National Advisory Board of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

Education

• Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Amherst (1980 — 1984)
• M.A. University of California, Santa Barbara (1978 — 1980)
• B.A. University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras

Companies

• PROFESSOR OF URBAN POLICY AND PLANNING and Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies Hunter College-CUNY (2008 — 2021)
• PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT AND URBAN POLICY (JANUARY 1999–2008) AND DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPME MILANO, THE NEW SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND URBAN POLICY (1999 — 2008)
• DIRECTOR, MAURICIO GASTÓN INSTITUTE FOR LATINO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY, AND ASSOCIAT University of Massachusetts Boston (1992 — 1998)
• Assistant/Associate Professor of Political Economy and Urban Studies Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1986 — 1993)
• Assistant Professor of Economics and Puerto Rican Studies Fordham University (1984 — 1986)