Dr. Melanie Clark

Biography

Melanie is an early career researcher with interests in the impact of severe mental illness on daily role functioning and the epidemiology of severe mental illness. She began her career as a research assistant at Curtin University of Technology within the School of Psychology for the Positive Parenting program. Following her honours year, Melanie became involved with the Western Australian Family Study of Schizophrenia (WAFSS) and subsequently worked in the School of Pharmacology on a study concerning obesity and chronic pain. Her experiences in rural and remote regions of Western Australia, where there is minimal access to services, augmented her interest in how health impacts individuals' daily functioning. The stigma surrounding mental health issues further fueled her desire to pursue a career in psychology. Presently, Melanie holds the position of Research Associate in the School of Pharmacology, collaborating with the Royal Perth Hospital Pain Medicine Centre. She is particularly interested in the epidemiology of cognitive decline and is responsible for recruitment, cognitive diagnostic assessment, data management, and analysis within WAFSS. Melanie is currently completing her Master of Public Health and is engaged in ongoing research projects focusing on chronic pain and obesity, working closely with Prof. Stephan Schug and Dr. Allyson Browne.

Research Interests

Experience