Prof.in Dr.in Melanie Hussak completed her diploma studies in political science and economics at the University of Vienna and her postgraduate studies in 'Interdisciplinary Conflict Analysis and Conflict Resolution' at the University of Basel. In her dissertation, she deals with lifeworld concepts of peace and indigenous methods of conflict transformation.

She co-founded the association Frieden leben , which received the Bank Austria/OÖ Social Prize in 2014 and a project award from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education and Women's Affairs in 2015.

On September 1, 2025, she was appointed to the professorship of peace research with a focus on peace education at the EH Freiburg. At the same time, she took over the scientific direction and management of the Peace Institute Freiburg, which was founded in 2020.