Meet Dr. Melissa Simone
Assistant Professor
Bachelor’s in Psychology Program
About Dr. Melissa Simone
Dr. Melissa Simone is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at CU Denver, actively engaging in research, teaching, and mentoring. Their research lab, funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), collaborates with community members, undergraduate, and graduate students to address key public health issues.
Dr. Simone’s research spans:
- Eating disorder prevention for queer and trans young people using social justice and socioecological frameworks.
- Community-engaged approaches to health equity and resource co-creation to reduce disparities.
- Equitable development of psychology assessments and scales.
- Data integrity and bot detection in online psychological research.
Their work has been published in leading journals such as American Psychologist, Culture, Health and Sexuality, and International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Education
- Ph.D. in Sociobehavioral Epidemiology & Quantitative Psychology – Utah State University
- M.A. in General Psychology – University of Hartford
- B.A. in Psychology – University of Hartford
Areas of Expertise
- Quantitative Psychology
- Community-Engaged Research
- Eating Disorders
- Health Equity
- Queer and Trans Health
- Ecological Momentary Assessment
- Mixed Methods
- Prevention Science
Research Highlights
Dr. Simone’s interdisciplinary research focuses on creating more inclusive and equitable approaches to health and psychology. Recent publications include:
- "Let the Ladies Know:" Queer Women’s Perceptions of How Gender and Sexual Orientation Shape Their Eating and Weight Concerns – Culture, Health and Sexuality (2023)
- Exploring the Intersection of Multiple Social Determinants of Health and Disordered Eating Behaviors – International Journal of Eating Disorders (2022)
- Threats to Online Surveys: Recognizing, Detecting, and Preventing Survey Bots – Social Work Research (2022)
Their work has been featured in American Psychologist, Social Science & Medicine, and Annals of Epidemiology, with a strong focus on using community-engaged methods to address health inequities.
Fun Fact
Dr. Simone is passionate about fostering partnerships with local communities to develop actionable solutions that promote health equity and social justice.
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