Graduate Student
Hi! My name is Luna, I am from Brazil, where I was born and raised. I hold a degree in Economics from the Federal University of Paraná and have professional experience in both the public and private sectors, primarily in finance and supply chain. Before joining the Global Studies M.A. program, I spent four years at ExxonMobil Brazil, most recently working as a Land Transportation Specialist, coordinating polyethylene transportation to the United States and Canada.
Although I greatly enjoyed studying traditional economics and finance, I became very interested in gender inequality, economic development, and political science, especially through the lens of the Global South. For this reason, during my undergraduate studies, I conducted a quantitative research project using data from the Brazilian Continuous National Household Sample Survey (PNAD Contínua) to investigate the relationship between economic cycles and female unemployment in Brazil. This experience has intensified my interest in quantitative methods in the social sciences.
My current research interests focus on gender inequality in labor markets, particularly to informality and women’s labor rights outside the formal economy in Brazil. I am especially interested in how processes of globalization can intensify informal employment in developing countries, and in the ways these processes intersect with gender and economic inequality.
Outside the classroom, I enjoy watching documentaries, mostly about animals and natural sciences, drinking tereré, practicing some yoga, and spending time with my friends, family, and my two cats.