Lisa Melander

Lisa Melander serves as Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work at Kansas State University's College of Arts and Sciences, and holds the additional role of College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Fellow for Applied Learning.

Her educational qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in Sociology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2010)
• M.A. in Sociology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2007)
• B.A. in Sociology/Political Science from Cornell College (2004)

Dr. Melander's research centers on the critical intersection of crime and family dynamics, with particular emphasis on intimate partner violence, incarceration effects, and emerging cyber aggression phenomena. Her empirical work examines contact maintenance programs in correctional facilities, analyzing how incarcerated parents sustain relationships with children, navigate co-parenting challenges, and reconstruct parental identities during confinement. Additional research streams investigate financial burdens on justice-involved populations through fines/fees systems among probationers and parolees, alongside comprehensive evaluations of jail reentry programming effectiveness.