Dr. Renata Avelar Giannini

Associate Professor of Practice of International Affairs, and Assistant Dean for Executive Education and Special Initiatives

Dr. Renata Giannini is a researcher and practitioner specializing in the intersection of women's rights, conflict, and climate change. For over 16 years, she has worked with leading think tanks in Argentina, Brazil, and the United States, shaping public policy on gender equality, public safety and  sustainable development. She brings extensive experience in translating data into actionable insights through visual platforms and public engagement. In Brazil, she led the creation of EVA (Evidence on Violence and Alternatives to women and girls), the country’s largest publicly available database on violence against women.

Her current research project "Guardians of the Amazon: women's contribution to climate change mitigation" examines  the outcomes  of 15 conflicts over land and water in the Amazon, assessing the different strategies used by women defenders to overcome them using methodologies of process tracing, in depth interviews, and a survey instrument

She has consulted for UN Women, UNDP, and the World Bank. A 2023–2024 Wilson Center Fellow, she spent over a decade at a think and do tank in Brazil - Igarapé Institute - and received a prestigious Fulbright fellowship to complete her PhD in the United States (2009-2013).