Melecia Wright, PhD | Epidemiologist & Data Scientist

About Me

Hi, I'm Melecia Wright. I've always been curious by nature, which drew me to the sciences early on. Over time, I grew equally interested in how we apply knowledge strategically to improve society. This drive to create positive change has shaped my work across public health, education, and the civic sector.

When I'm not working with data, you'll find me traveling to new places, exploring different cuisines, and immersing myself in nature.

Professional Experience

Founder & Principal Consultant

2021–Present

Wright Data Solutions | New York, NY

Expert data science consulting to organizations in health, education, and civic engagement. Focus areas: analytics strategy, predictive modeling, impact evaluation, and data storytelling. We are MWBE certified.

Adjunct Faculty

Present

UNC Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC

Teaching data science, machine learning and communication.

Staff Data Scientist (Analytics Unit Lead)

2019–2024

Murmuration Research Institute| New York, NY

Created data science tools and analytics initiatives for civic organizations.

Data Science Fellow

2019

Insight Data Science | New York, NY

Intensive fellowship focused on productionizing data solutions. Created #FoodGoals, a grocery recommendation system using NLP and vector similarity techniques.

Research Scientist

2016–2018

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene | New York, NY

Analyzed health survey and biomarker data to evaluate chronic disease interventions and policies. Co-led population health surveillance and published peer-reviewed research on trans fat policy impacts.

Areas of Expertise

Research & Methods

Epidemiology Survey Design Statistical Analysis Causal Inference Public Health Impact Evaluation

Machine Learning & AI

Predictive Modeling NLP Responsible AI Model Deployment

Technical Skills

Python SQL Git scikit-learn pandas

Domain Expertise

Healthcare Public Health Epidemiology Nutrition Politics Civic Engagement Public Opinion

Education

PhD, Nutrition Epidemiology

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Research focus: nutrition, early childhood development, dietary patterns, protein intake and obesity.

AB, Molecular Biology

Princeton University

Minor in Environmental Studies: this is where I developed a passion for the intersection of food and health.

Additional Training

International Experience

Visiting Scholar, University of the West Indies | International Baccalaureate, United World College of the Atlantic, Wales

Publications & Projects

Peer-Reviewed Publications

6 published articles on nutrition epidemiology, breastfeeding, dietary patterns, and policy impacts with over 130 total citations.

Featured: Impact of trans fatty acid policy on NYC adults (AJPH, 2019)

View All Publications

Data Science Projects

Applied machine learning and data science projects addressing real-world challenges in health, nutrition, and civic engagement.

Featured: #FoodGoals - Grocery recommendation system using NLP

Explore Projects

Writing

Using Data to Quantify the Impact of Food Policy on Health

Evaluating NYC's trans fat ban: how epidemiological methods and citywide health data revealed the real-world impact of nutrition policy.

Read Essay

#FoodGoals: A Grocery Recommendation System

Building a recommendation system using NLP and word2vec to help consumers find groceries aligned with their nutritional goals.

Read Essay

A Scientist at Heart

Personal reflections on transitioning from academic research to data science and the drive to see data-driven insights deployed in real time.

Read Essay

Let's Connect

Interested in collaborating or learning more about my work? I'd love to hear from you.

[email protected]

For consulting services, visit Wright Data Solutions