Melanie Melo is currently a Doctoral Student in Physics at the Illinois Institute of Technology as a GAANN Fellow. She received a B.A. in Physics from Vassar College in 2019 where she participated in Experimental Biophysics research regarding Stentor coeruleus regeneration and explored her interest in medical physics. While developing her skills utilizing various molecular dynamic simulation programs, she is working to compare alternative chromatin structures. Her interests include furthering the advancement of health and medicine with the applications of physics research and increasing diversity and inclusion in the STEM field for underrepresented communities.