Luiza Lucena is a natural resources scientist pursuing her Ph.D. in Natural Resources Science and Management at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, with minors in Business Management and Development Studies and Social Change. Her research focuses on advancing sustainability within global value chains and strengthening the livelihoods of forest communities, particularly through the development and application of voluntary sustainability standards in the Maya Forest region spanning Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.
Partnering with the Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM), The Food Industry Center (TFIC), the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change (ICGC), and the Rainforest Alliance, Luiza conducts fieldwork with community forest enterprises and cooperatives to investigate whether these standards align with community needs and interests.
Through her research, Luiza is gaining firsthand insights into the challenges faced by communities. Her preliminary findings highlight the important role of improved governance and resource management in supporting sustainable forestry and community resilience. Luiza’s professional aspirations include advocating for sustainable food production and cooperative development, with a focus on market access for small producers and policy change to support rural development.
With extensive experience in Latin American forestry community enterprises and forest communities, she has developed projects to support market access for sustainable products, from agroecological cooperatives in Brazil to community forestry groups in Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve. Luiza envisions a career that combines research, education, and advocacy, focusing on inspiring the next generation of leaders in sustainable development while advancing policies that empower cooperatives and small-scale producers.
Advisor
Dr. Dean Current
Education
B.S. Forest Engineering, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco
M.S. Natural Resources Science and Management, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
