Rachel Melnick

Rachel Melnick has a diverse work experience in the field of agricultural science and policy. Rachel is currently the Division Director of Global Climate Change at the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Prior to this, they served as the Editor In Chief at Biological Control and as a Senior Scientific Program Manager at the Agriculture & Food Systems Institute. Rachel has also held positions as a National Program Leader and an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, where they managed agricultural science competitive grants programs and developed partnerships with stakeholders. Rachel has also worked as an Associate Editor at Biological Control, a Research Plant Pathologist at USDA-ARS, and a Research Assistant at Penn State University. Rachel's work experience showcases their expertise in agricultural policy, program management, research, and scientific editing. Rachel has a strong background in crop production, crop protection, and climate programs.

Rachel Melnick received their Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2003. Rachel then pursued a Master of Science degree in Plant Pathology at Penn State University from 2003 to 2006. Following their master's degree, Rachel continued their education at Penn State University and obtained a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from 2006 to 2010.