Melissa Harmon

Melissa Harmon

PhD Student

Melissa Harmon is a Ph.D. candidate in the Geography doctoral program. They are a qualitative researcher who specializes in the relationship between cities and universities in how they materialize sustainable development and contribute to sustainability transitions. They employ a range of methods in their work, including thematic analysis for interviews and documents. Their research centers around sustainability co-creation and sustainability transfer. 

Prior to joining the doctoral program, Melissa attended UNC Charlotte for a B.S. (2021) and M.A. (2022) in Geography. During this time, they focused on regional and urban planning and analysis. Since then, Melissa has completed two GIS internships with Mecklenburg County’s Geospatial Information Services department. They have also worked within the Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences department here at UNC Charlotte as a research assistant, teaching assistant, and instructor of record.

Melissa has been a TA for numerous courses, including:

  • Global Social Science: Environment, Society, and Sustainability (ESCI 1501)
  • Introduction to Human Geography (GEOG 1105)
  • Introduction to Economic Geography (GEOG 2105)
  • Global Social Science: Global Geography (GEOG 1501)
  • Plant Geography (GEOG 3102)

Melissa was an instructor of record (IOR) in:

  • Global Social Science: Environment, Society, and Sustainability (ESCI 1501)

Their research assistant experience has spanned multiple projects, working alongside Dr. Colleen Hammelman, Dr. Michelle Zuñiga, and Dr. Wenwu Tang. In 2024, Melissa published a paper with Dr. Michelle Zuñiga, Kadae Phimia, and Jessica Moreno. This publication can be found below:

Zuñiga, M. E., Harmon, M., Phimia, K., & Moreno, J. (2026). “Feeling trapped”: tenant experiences and housing precarity in corporate owned rentals in Charlotte, NC. Local Environment, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2026.2643222

Areas of research interest: 

  • Sustainability transfer, urban planning, economic geography, sustainability transitions

Advisor’s name: Dr. Michael Ewers