Rate My Professor Melissa Savage

Melissa Savage serves as Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. Her research centers on enhancing physical activity engagement and promoting inclusive community participation for transition-age youth and adults with extensive support needs, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities. She possesses expertise in inclusive postsecondary education programs for college students with intellectual disability. Prior to her current role, Dr. Savage was an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas. She completed Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Postdoctoral Research Training in Autism Related Projects at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from 2018. Earlier, she served as an online graduate lecturer at Purdue University and worked four years as a K-12 special education teacher in Indiana school districts.

Dr. Savage holds a PhD in Special Education with an emphasis in Severe Disabilities from Purdue University (2016), an MS in Special Education from Purdue University (2010), and a BS in Exercise Science with emphasis in Kinesiotherapy from Morehead State University (2005). Her scholarly contributions include key publications such as "Capabilities, opportunities, and motivation: Exploring fitness program experiences of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities" (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2023, with A.M. Colombo-Dougovito); "Step it up: Increasing physical activity for adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability using supported self-management and Fitbit technology" (Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 2022, with B. Tomaszewski and K.A. Hume); "Increasing physical activity for adults with autism spectrum disorder: Comparing in-person and technology delivered praise" (Research in Developmental Disabilities, 2018, with T. Taber-Doughty, M.T. Brodhead, and E.C. Bouck); and "Supporting healthier grocery-shopping habits for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities using self-management and technology: A single-case pilot" (Disabilities, 2023). She has earned recognition including Invited Leadership CEC Program Participant and election to the Board of Directors for the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) in 2023, Junior Faculty Researcher of the Year nominee at UNT (2022), Best Research Poster Awards at Purdue University (2014, 2015), and Technologies in Special Education Scholar funding ($82,485, 2012-2015). At the University of Arkansas, Dr. Savage co-directs the Arkansas Transition Research Advocacy Community (AR-TRAC) Lab, contributes to the ELEVATE consortium for doctoral training in disabilities research, and leads the NIH-funded PACE program to promote physical activity among adults with disabilities.