Monica Merante, MPH

Monica Merante is a PhD student in Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, where her research focuses on the role of arts in health in promoting wellness and social connectedness. Her work centers on developing and evaluating accessible, community-based arts interventions that support individual and collective well-being. Monica is particularly interested in social prescribing and in building sustainable partnerships between healthcare systems and community arts organizations. Drawing on experience in qualitative research, collaborative filmmaking, and implementation science, she aims to create scalable models that expand access to the arts as a resource for health. Outside of her academic work, Monica enjoys ceramics, painting, and photography, and is always eager to learn new creative practices.