Melissa Edwards Email & Phone Number

I advance the Illinois research enterprise by connecting researchers with opportunities and telling stories of innovation and impact. I make plans. I build relationships. And I lead a crack team of research development professionals who help to turn great ideas into funded projects. I'm a former Peace Corps Volunteer who regularly does things that terrify me, like singing in public, canning homegrown produce, and giving medication to my cats. I have a B.S. in Public Relations from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a M.S in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.