Melissa (Mel) Salm
About Melissa (Mel) Salm
As a cultural anthropologist, I study "science" as an evolving set of contemporary human practices. The humans with whom I work, study and collaborate are life scientists, biosecurity experts, global health researchers, public health practitioners, and the public (social actors whose lives are affected by scientific and technological developments). My research portfolio is aimed at developing conceptual tools to guide policy development in global health security and biorisk governance and to help the scientific community address a range of strategic, methodological, and ethical challenges therein. Current research areas include: biorisk management in the life sciences; One Health activities in zoonotic epidemiology, viral discovery, and pandemic preparedness; the social and political reasons for public mistrust/distrust of scientific institutions and public health policies and technologies.