Melissa Lodge, PhD, RDN, is a REDs researcher, dietitian, professor, and scientific communicator whose work focuses on female athlete health and performance, with an emphasis on sports nutrition. My work examines how nutrition and physical activity influence energy metabolism, reproductive function, and musculoskeletal health across the lifespan, with a primary focus on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) prevention in female athletes.

Melissa has taught at several different universities in various courses ranging from biology to anatomy & physiology, exercise physiology, nutrition, and more. 

Melissa is a former NCAA DI Cross Country/Track & Field athlete and understands the unique needs and challenges that female athletes face - both on and off the [insert competition surface of your choice] - which contributes to her depth of knowledge in this area.

Education & Training:

-PhD in Health Sciences (concentration: Kinesiology), University of Rhode Island (2026)

-Dietetic Internship, Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP), Florida State University (2026)

-MS in Exercise Science, Syracuse University (2020)

-BS in Pre-Health Biology, Bryant University (2018)