Isadora is a doctoral candidate in International Development in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her work focuses on the political economy of development and examines how relations between state and financial actors shape economic and political development broadly and the provision of urban infrastructure services in particular. Isadora’s current dissertation research examines variation in private investor behavior and engagement in public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the provision of water and sanitation in Latin American cities. This research will contribute to our understanding of the conditions under which such collaborations can help address water sustainability and service provision challenges in developing contexts.
Isadora holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Brasília and a Master in City Planning from MIT. Prior to coming to MIT, she worked for two years as a research fellow at the Institute for Applied Economic Research in Brazil on projects about participatory development across a range of policy domains. At MIT, she has served as Co-Vice President, Lecture Series Chair, and Media and Communications Director of the MIT Water Club, which aims to connect researchers, policy makers, and industry professionals seeking to address water challenges across the globe.