Dr. Melinda Forthofer received her BA in Sociology and Gender Studies from Case Western Reserve University and her PhD in Sociology and Health Behavior/Health Education from the University of Michigan. Currently, she is Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division Director in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Also, she is the Principal Investigator of the USC Prevention Research Center’s core research project, which is studying intervention strategies for mobilizing social networks to enhance physical activity.  Prior to joining USC in 2006, Dr. Forthofer was a Co-Founder of the Florida Prevention Research Center at the University of South Florida. A social epidemiologist cross-trained in sociology and health behavior/health education, Dr. Forthofer has more than 15 years of experience studying social factors related to health behavior change in children, adolescents, and adults in diverse community settings. 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 over $16 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.  

 Please contact Jackie Matloub at jmm281@case.edu for more information on this event or the Brown Bag Lunch/Seminar Series.