Melissa DuPont

Melissa DuPont is an Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences and Epidemiology at Columbia University, conducting community-informed research on mental health disparities and stigma reduction among diverse populations.

Her work focuses on mental illness stigma dynamics, particularly examining how Spanish-language media exposure influences stigma and help-seeking behaviors among Latinx youth in the United States. She develops culturally tailored anti-stigma interventions using interdisciplinary social science frameworks, with emphasis on school-based settings and media communication strategies to address systemic health inequities.

Her notable recognition includes:

• Pioneering Ideas Award from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for media use and health communication research among Latinx populations

Dr. DuPont actively mentors diverse students across identity and experience spectrums, and is currently developing grant proposals to implement scalable anti-stigma tools in educational environments. She analyzes survey data from her Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project while preparing new initiatives for school-based mental health interventions.