Julia Melkers

Professor

Member Of:
  • School of Public Policy
  • ADVANCE IAC
  • Technology Policy and Assessment Center
Email Address:
jmelkers@gatech.edu
Office Location:
DM Smith 212

Overview

Dr. Julia Melkers is Professor in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and holds a visiting appointment at INGENIO [CSIC], University Polytechnic Valencia, Spain.  She teaches graduate-levels courses in research design, program evaluation, survey methods, and an undergraduate course in American Government. Her research and evaluation work focuses on a number of aspects relevant to careers in science, including research and career capacity development in the STEM environment, knowledge diffusion, collaborative and other social networks and issues specific to career development and mentoring with special attention to underrepresented groups. She directs the ROCS lab (Research on Careers in Science), a group of faculty and students who work on projects relevant to the science and engineering workforce, and related careers. She is also the U.S. Co-Editor of the journal, Research Evaluation.

Dr. Melkers’ research has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. National Institutes for Health, and multiple foundations. She has conducted evaluation-related work for the U.S. National Science Foundation, the OECD, governments of Mexico and Latvia, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Research Council, HUD, the States of Alaska, Georgia, Rhode Island and Maine, and the City of Atlanta. Her publications may be found in journals such as Science, Technology & Human Values; PlosOne; Computer Science Education; Internet and Higher Education; Review of Policy Research; Public Administration Review; Urban Studies Review; Policy Studies Journal, Public Budgeting and Finance; Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory; Journal of Technology Transfer and Evaluation and Program Planning. She earned her PhD in Public Administration at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and also holds an M.P.A. from the University of Wisconsin @ Milwaukee. She previously was on the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Georgia State University, and the University of Alaska. She is the daughter of Latvian refugees, grew up in Wisconsin and has lived in many snowy locales, now settled in Atlanta with her husband, two daughters, and furry beasts.

Education:
  • Ph.D., Syracuse University, The Maxwell School, Public Administration
  • M.P.A., University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee

Interests

Research Fields:
  • Program Evaluation, Public Management and Administration
  • S&E Organizations, Education, Careers and Workforce
  • Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
Issues:
  • Gender
  • Governance
  • Human Capital
  • Science and Engineering Workforces
  • Science and Technology

Courses

  • POL-1101: Government of the U.S.
  • PUBP-4120: Survey Research Methods
  • PUBP-6112: Research Dsgn-Polcy Sci
  • PUBP-6221: Pol & Program Evaluation
  • PUBP-8500: Research Seminar
  • PUBP-8813: Special Topics
  • PUBP-8823: Special Topics

Additional Information

Joined Faculty In 2007

Current and
Recent
Projects:
  • “Evaluating the Kentucky NSF EPSCoR Award 2014-19: “Powering the Kentucky Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Future.”

  • “Innovations in Graduate Education: A Study of Online and Traditional Access to Graduate Education in Computer Science: An Evaluation of Georgia Tech’s Online Offerings.”

  • “Evaluating Atlanta BEST: Beyond the Professoriate: Transforming Pathways for Biomedical Research Careers.”

  • “Research and Evaluation Project for the Gates Foundation Breakthrough Delivery Model Portfolio”

  • “Empirical Research: Breaking through the Reputational Ceiling: Professional Networks as a Determinant of Advancement, Mobility, and Career Outcomes for Women and Minorities in STEM.” Funded by the National Science Foundation. 2009-2012. (Co-Principal Investigator with Eric Welch and Monica Gaughan).

  • “Women in Science and Engineering: Network Access, Participation, and Career Outcomes” Funded by the National Science Foundation. 2005-present. (Co-principal investigator.)

  • “Assessing the LIFE (Learning in Informal and Formal Environments) Center: A Scientific and Technical Human Capital Evaluation Model.” Funded by the National Science Foundation (subcontract to Arizona State University.) 2005-present. (Co-principal investigator.)

  • “Evaluation of the Mid-America Earthquake (MAE) Engineering Research Center.” Funded by the MAE, an NSF ERC Center. 2005-present. (Co-principal investigator.)

Professional
Associations:
  • Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM)
  • American Associate for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • Public Management Research Association
  • American Evaluation Association
  • Policy Studies Organization