GJ Melendez-Torres is a public health researcher and educator with a special passion for teaching research methods or, as he describes it, 'how to think in public health'. He holds degrees in health economics, nursing, social policy and epidemiology.
In his role as Professor of Clinical and Social Epidemiology, GJ leads research and teaching that seeks to ameliorate health inequalities to create healthier people, families, communities and populations, including through specific foci on child and adolescent health and on intimate partner violence. GJ led the development of the University of Exeter’s Master of Public Health programme, which he continues to lead. He also worked during the Covid-19 pandemic to establish the evidence base for a safe return to higher education settings, through work both nationally as an attendee of the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (SPI-B), and locally in Exeter.
A particular focus of his research and teaching is involving and engaging the public in health research. As part of this, he has worked with colleagues to develop and deliver an innovative ‘co-faculty’ model that involves members of communities most affected by health inequalities as valued partners in teaching. Blending his research and teaching expertise, GJ is the Academic Advisor for Student Health and Wellbeing at Exeter, working to develop a population health strategy for higher education contexts. A registered nurse by education and vocation, GJ holds as central to his teaching values that ‘caring is primary, because caring creates possibility’ (Benner and Wrubel, 1987).