Dr. Melissa Washington Nortey

Biography

Melissa Washington-Nortey’s academic journey began in Ghana, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Geography from the University of Ghana and a Master’s Degree in Child Development from the University of Haifa, Israel. She then pursued a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), USA. After completing her doctorate, she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Counseling and Special Education at VCU for a year. In August 2021, she joined King’s College London as a Postdoctoral Project Manager for the SPARK project. Melissa has developed and taught courses in Global Mental Health and Developmental Psychology, emphasizing topics such as clinical trial methodologies and lifespan developmental psychology. She is committed to supporting professional development and frequently delivers guest lectures and training for students, early-career researchers, and non-academic professionals. Her research investigates the cultural and contextual factors that affect the cognitive and socio-emotional development of vulnerable children, including those with developmental disorders, and how to develop relevant interventions. She employs culturally appropriate qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods strategies in her research across various global contexts, particularly in minority-world countries like the United States and majority-world countries such as Ghana, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Kenya.

Research Interests