Melanie Studer

Melanie Studer, PhD, MSHA, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management (HPM) at the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She also serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies for HPM and holds a part-time role as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Degree Programs within the Gillings School’s Academic Affairs division. Her dual administrative and academic roles reflect her expertise in public health education and workforce development.

Studer earned a BA in Biology (Phi Beta Kappa) from Kalamazoo College (1997), an MHSA in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan (2000), and a PhD in Health Policy and Management from UNC Chapel Hill (2019). Prior to academia, she held leadership positions in healthcare consulting, health insurance, and hospital administration.

Her research focuses on strengthening undergraduate public health curricula, particularly as a pipeline to public health and healthcare careers. Notably, her doctoral work analyzed the skills and job tasks required of public health graduates, informing Gillings’ BSPH core curriculum. She has presented nationally on undergraduate education at the American Public Health Association and ASPPH conferences.

Studer teaches courses like SPHG 351: Foundations of Public Health and contributed to the Gillings School’s accreditation preparations and MPH core curriculum redesign. Her work emphasizes data-driven solutions for training effective public health professionals.

She has been recognized by the Gillings School for teaching innovation and mentorship, though specific award names were not detailed in the provided texts. Her roles bridge academic leadership, curriculum development, and workforce readiness initiatives.