Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Administration
Melanie Waddell is a PhD student in Public Administration and Policy. Her area is public finance, with her research interests involving emergency management, disaster policy, and budgeting. Her dissertation looks at states as actors in the emergency management network – how they interact with organizations, local governments, and private businesses; how they use budgeting mechanisms to deal with disasters; and an in-depth look at three states as case studies. Current working papers include Using Repeat Audit Findings to Analyze FEMA’s Response to Feedback (currently in the review process at the International Journal for Disaster Risk Reduction), Practice What is Preached: Is FEMA Contracting Responsive to Advancing Democratic Values, and Strategic Decision-Making in Budgeting and Finance for Disasters.
