Melissa Burchard is a well-established associate professor of philosophy at UNC Asheville with years of experience in academia. Her expertise lies in political philosophy and ethics. She has a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of California at Riverside and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of California at Davis. Burchard has taught courses ranging from Introduction to Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, and Social and Political Philosophy. Her research revolves around the topics of punishment and forgiveness, the impact of climate change on migration, and the ethics of care. She has contributed to several academic journals, including Philosophy Today, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, and the Journal of Global Ethics.