Yanira Rivas Pineda de Melendez

Headshot of Yanira Rivas Pineda de Melendez
Graduate Student

Specialization

Latino Politics
Criminal Justice
Race and Ethnic Politics
Urban Politics
American Politics
the Politics of the Poor
Comparative Politics
Central American Politics

Education

Ph.D. Candidate, Political Science, University of California Santa Barbara, 2011-present 
M.A., Political Science, University of California Santa Barbara, 2017
M.A., Political Science, California State University Northridge, 2011
M.A., Public Management of International Cooperation and NGO’s, Universidad de Granada (Spain), 2005
B.A., International Studies, University of Miami, 2004

 

Bio

Yanira is a PhD candidate. Her research focuses on crime, the criminal justice system, and political participation in marginalized communities.  She has conducted research in Los Angeles and El Salvador.

Faculty Adviser: M. Kent Jennings

Fellowships/Grants

APSA Travel Grant??????????, 2018
APSA Fund for Latino Scholarship????????, 2018
UCSB Graduate Division Dissertation Fellowship, 2018
APSA Women of Color in Political Science (WCPS) workshop travel grant, 2017
UCSB Chicano Studies Institute Research Grant, 2017
UCSB Humanities & Social Sciences Research Grant, 2017
UCSB Department of Political Science Graduate Research and Training Grant, 2017
UCSB Department of Political Science Travel Grant, 2017
UCSB Graduate Student Association Travel Grant, 2016   
APSA Fund for Latino Scholarship Grant, 2015
UCSB Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, 2014
UCSB Graduate Opportunity Fellowship, 2013
UCSB Department of Political Science Travel Grant, 2013
LASA Travel Grant, 2012
SAGE Fellowship, 2011
Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, 2010  

Service

APSA Hackathon: Successful Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Diverse Faculty, 2018
UCSB Political Science Department Diversity Committee Member, July 2016-June 2018
UCSB Sara Miller McCune Dean of Social Sciences Search Advisory Committee Member, May 2016-March 2017
UCSB Political Science Graduate Student Association co-president, 2016-2017
UCSB USEU (Unión Salvadoreña de Estudiantes Universitarios /Salvadoran Student Union) Co-Advisor, Fall 2015-Present
University of California Student Association Board Vice Chair, August 2015-July 2016
UCSB Graduate Student Association Vice President of External Affairs, June 2014-June 2016
University of California Student Association Board Member, June 2014-June 2017
CISPES El Salvador International Election Observer, Feb. 20-March 4, 2015
UCSB Department of Political Science Identity Politics Search Committee Member, Fall 2014
School on Wheels, Inc. Volunteer Tutor Coordinator, January-November 2014

Research

Yanira’s research focuses on crime, the criminal justice system, and political participation in marginalized Latino communities. She is currently conducting field research for her dissertation titled, “Crime-Ridden and Heavily Policed:  Political Involvement in two Los Angeles Public Housing Facilities.”  Yanira has presented her research at national and international conferences and has conducted research in Los Angeles and El Salvador.  She is currently supervising two undergraduate research assistants who are getting a first-hand experience of political science research and exposure to quantitative and qualitative research methods.

 

Publications

De Melendez, Yanira Rivas Pineda. 2019. “CARECEN.” Latinos in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Latinos as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders. (Forthcoming).

De Melendez, Yanira Rivas Pineda. 2019. “Kevin de Leon.” Latinos in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Latinos as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders. (Forthcoming).

De Melendez, Yanira Rivas Pineda. 2019. “La Opinión.” Latinos in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Latinos as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders. (Forthcoming).

De Melendez, Yanira Rivas Pineda. 2019. “NACARA.” Latinos in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Latinos as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders. (Forthcoming).

Rivas Pineda, Yanira. 2015. “La Democracia Ardiente en el Pulgarcito de America.” Sinestesia 1(3): 8–9.

Rivas Pineda, Yanira. 2015. “Embracing The Spirit of a Turtle to Succeed in Graduate School.” Graduate Policy Journal 1(1): 21–22.

 

Courses

Courses as Teaching Associate

PS 106CP: Crime, Policing, and Political Participation (Winter 2019)
PS 106: Latino Politics (Spring 2018/2019)
PS 162: Urban Government & Politics (Winter 2018)

Courses as Teaching Assistant 

PS 6: Introduction to Comparative Politics
PS 12: Introduction to American Government
PS 15: Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics
PS 106LP: Latino Politics
PS 137: Politics of Economic Development
PS 147: Third World Politics
PS 161: U.S. Minority Politics
SOC 1: Introduction to Sociology