Melinda Forthofer

Melinda Forthofer, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services. Prior to UNC Charlotte,Forthofer was on the fUniversity of South Florida faculty (1996-2006) and at the University of South Carolina (2006-16). For more than 20 years, her work has focused on social factors related to health behavior change in diverse community settings, often via community-based research. Much of her current research is focused on the role of social factors in the promotion of health behaviors, particularly the role of social networks in physical activity. Her research has been supported by more than $29 million in extramurally funded research grants, via awards from several federal agencies (CDC, HRSA, NIH), state health departments, local and national nonprofit organizations and several private sector organizations.