Melissa Lucas completed her undergraduate studies in Political Governance and transformation, she went on to complete her Honors degree in Political Dynamics with the Politics department at the University of the Free State. She is currently enrolled with a Master’s program in Development Studies. 

She is employed as a research assistant at the Higher Education and Human Development Research Group, University of the Free State. She has experience in data capture and in participatory research methods. She is passionate about gender equality and higher education policy development.