Melanie Rock

Dr. Melanie Rock serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She maintains significant interdisciplinary connections through adjunct appointments in the Department of Anthropology and Archeology (Faculty of Arts), Faculty of Social Work, and Department of Ecosystem and Public Health (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine), alongside honorary affiliations with the Institut de recherche en santé publique de l'Université de Montréal and the Wellcome Centre for Environments + Cultures of Health at the University of Exeter.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Anthropology (McGill University)
• MSW (University of Toronto)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship (Université de Montréal)
• BA (Honours)

Dr. Rock's research integrates public health, medical anthropology, and social work through innovative investigations of human-animal interactions in urban environments. Her work examines how pets and urban spaces influence community health outcomes, employing interdisciplinary methodologies that bridge biological and social sciences. This approach addresses complex health challenges through the lens of veterinary public health, social determinants of health, and urban planning.

As a registered social worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers and active Primary Investigator, Dr. Rock disseminates her findings through multiple scholarly platforms. Her webinar 'Pets, People and Urban Places' exemplifies her commitment to translating research into practical community applications while fostering collaborations across medical, veterinary, and social science domains.