Jennifer Ahern

Jennifer Ahern serves as Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health. Her work bridges social epidemiology, methodological innovation, and public health intervention planning through rigorous observational research.

Education

• PhD in Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley (2007)
• MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Berkeley (2000)
• BA in Human Biology, Brown University (1997)

Her research focuses on social determinants of health including neighborhood characteristics, community violence, and structural racism impacts on maternal/child health, mental health, and substance use. Methodologically, she specializes in causal inference and semi-parametric estimation to strengthen observational studies. Recent work analyzes pandemic-era health disruptions, racial inequities in maternal morbidity, and adolescent self-harm trends through sophisticated environmental exposure modeling.

Scientific Recognition

• NIH New Innovator Award recipient
• Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator ($1M grant)
• NIH R01 grant for community violence and maternal health research
• President-Elect of the Society for Epidemiologic Research

Ahern leads major collaborative projects including a $2.5M NIH-funded study examining community violence as a social determinant of perinatal health disparities across racial/ethnic groups. Her work integrates biostatistical rigor with actionable public health insights, frequently partnering with UCSF, Columbia, and interdisciplinary campus teams. Current initiatives address policing impacts on Black infant health and pandemic-related behavioral health shifts through novel methodological frameworks.