Dr. Melanie Pérez Ortiz is an Academic Advisor and Professor at the University of Puerto Rico department of Hispanic Studies, School of the Humanities. For the department, she teaches Latin American and Puerto Rican literature classes that focus on various periods of literary history in the region. She created an area studies in Creative Writing for the Interdisciplinary Studies Department of that Faculty, while she was Academic Advisor and director. Outside of her teaching, Melanie bases her research on topics that explore contemporary Puerto Rican literature, Puerto Rican literature of the 19th century, contemporary Latin American literature, cultural studies, Latin American cultural theory, gender issues, race and sexual identity.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Hispanic Studies from the University of Puerto Rico, Melanie went on to complete her master’s and her doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese from Stanford University with a full scholarship.

An impassioned advocate for improving the socioeconomic conditions at the university and across Puerto Rico, Melanie is a dedicated educator and is gratified that she can share her experiences with her students and help others to climb the ladder of success. She is a member of the Puerto Rican Studies Association and the Latin American Studies Association.

Prolific in her writing and research, Melanie has written or contributed to dozens of peer-reviewed journals, articles, chapters, and other publications. Looking ahead, she is working to finish  “The revolution of desires” a theorization of contemporary Puerto Rican Literature, which is due to be published this year, as well as the Foreword and notes for the Second Edition of “La patografía,” by Ángel Lozada. She is also a gifted poet who is constantly pushing the boundaries in her own work as well as that of her students.

Worldwide Association of Notable Alumni Member Melanie Pérez Ortiz, PhD can be found on the Association Directory, where she is looking forward to networking with you.