معرفی
Associate Professor Aaron Jenkins is an internationally recognized scholar in Planetary Health, holding the Sydney Horizon Fellowship at the University of Sydney’s Sydney School of Public Health (Faculty of Medicine and Health). He specializes in the intersection of environmental change and health, with expertise in waterborne disease management, climate resilience, and integrated governance of socio-ecological systems. His work spans over 28 years in international development, collaborating with governments, NGOs, and communities across the Pacific Islands, Australia, and the USA.
Research interests include waterborne pathogen reservoirs in Pacific wetlands, watershed health governance, and the cultural dimensions of biodiversity’s role in health. Current projects include the SAPPHIRE Program (enhancing Asia-Pacific health systems), the Pacific Partnership for Planetary Health (community-focused environmental and health policy integration), and WISH (nature-based solutions for climate resilience in Melanesian watersheds). Jenkins leads initiatives funded by the Australian Government, EU, and Bloomberg Family Foundation.
His awards include the Sydney Horizon Fellowship (2024), and finalist recognition for the WA Premier’s Science Award (2022). He is a founding member of the Planetary Health Alliance and chairs multiple regional committees, including the Oceania Freshwater Specialist Group under IUCN. Jenkins’ 62 journal publications and 41 technical reports address typhoid epidemiology, climate-sensitive disease trends, and WASH interventions in Fiji and beyond.
- Key affiliations: Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, Pacific WASH Coalition, Ramsar Convention Scientific Panel
- Grants: $11M DFAT grant for SAPPHIRE, $4.5M DFAT for health systems in Fiji/Vietnam
Recent work emphasizes nested systems approaches to health, linking local environmental stewardship with global policy, as seen in his 2023 Lancet article on oceans and health. His research bridges traditional knowledge with modern science, advocating for community-led solutions to planetary health challenges.
