Edwards, Dr. Melissa

Title: Faculty

Department: Biotechnology

Biography

Dr. Melissa Edwards is a senior scientific and education leader with over a decade of experience
spanning federal science policy, higher education, and workforce innovation. She has held national
leadership roles within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the U.S. Department of
Defense, and the Department of Energy, where she led policy development, large-scale pilots, and cross-
sector convenings. In academic settings, she designs and scales equity-centered research and graduate
education programs. Trained as a cancer immunologist, Dr. Edwards is known for bridging science,
policy, and practice to build sustainable education-to-career pathways. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell and
Molecular Biology from Colorado State University, an M.S. in Biotechnology from Georgetown
University, and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Washington.