Emily Jenkins

Emily Jenkins, PhD, MPH, RN, is a Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Nursing and holds the Canada Research Chair in Socioecological Approaches to Mental Health and Substance Use. She also serves as Associate Director, Research & Teaching Scholarship, within the Faculty of Applied Science.

Education & Credentials

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Registered Nurse (RN)

Research Focus

Dr. Jenkins’ scholarship centres on understanding and promoting positive mental health while addressing substance-use inequities among youth and marginalized populations. Employing socioecological frameworks, her work interrogates how individual, interpersonal, community, and policy-level factors converge to shape mental-health outcomes, with particular attention to 2S/LGBTQ+ youth, young adults, and people experiencing homelessness.

Her methodological repertoire includes qualitative inquiry (interpretive description, photovoice, narrative analysis), mixed-methods realist evaluation, scoping and systematic reviews, and cross-national survey research. A recurring theme across studies is the integration of harm-reduction principles, health-equity lenses, and youth-driven participatory approaches to intervention design and implementation.

Publication Trends

Between 2024 and 2025, Dr. Jenkins has published extensively on youth mental-health promotion, cannabis and alcohol use, harm-reduction practice in emergency departments, and the mental-health impacts of COVID-19 and climate change. The corpus reflects a strong commitment to community-engaged research, critical policy analysis, and advancing equity-oriented nursing practice.

Scientific Awards & Distinctions

• Canada Research Chair (Tier 1 or 2) in Socioecological Approaches to Mental Health and Substance Use

Advising & Grant Landscape

While specific students are not listed, her leadership of multiple mixed-methods and community-partnered projects indicates active supervision of graduate researchers and post-doctoral fellows. Funding is implied through the Canada Research Chair program and associated national peer-reviewed grants.

Labs, Teams & Collaborations

Dr. Jenkins leads an interdisciplinary research team embedded within the UBC School of Nursing, collaborating with stakeholders across health authorities, community organizations, and policy sectors in British Columbia and beyond.