Melissa Rubio-Ramos is a postdoctoral researcher in Economics at the University of Cologne and member of the ECONtribute. She obtained her PhD in Economics from University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and her Master Degree from University of Los Andes in Colombia. She has also worked for the World Bank. The motivating factor for her research agenda is not only the scientific interest for understanding how individuals are affected by institutions, but it is also inspired by social injustice. Her research focuses on labor and development economics with interest on economic history. Specifically, she studies the legacy of institutions that are potentially harmful for social and economic development. These institutions include slavery in the United States, and conflict in developing countries. These research questions are relevant both in modern day developing and, from an economic history perspective, developed countries. Other common themes that run through her work rely on detailed micro-level data to investigate discrimination in the justice system, and during the Vietnam era.