Jennifer D. Roberts

Jennifer D. Roberts is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. She leads the PHOEBE Laboratory and co-founded NatureRx@UMD, focusing on environmental health equity. Her work examines how built/social environments impact marginalized communities' health outcomes, particularly through spatial analysis and GIS modeling. She also directs the Wekesa Earth Center, addressing environmental reparations and reconciliation.

• Education:
  • Dr.P.H., Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University (2004)
  • M.P.H., Environmental and Occupational Health, Emory University (2000)
  • A.B., Health and Society, Brown University (1996)

Her research integrates environmental racism, gentrification (e.g., Purple Line impact studies), and transit justice. Notable projects include the GENTS study on light rail-induced gentrification and the BEAP study on active play. She emphasizes crosscutting issues like 'recreational deserts' and childhood obesity disparities.

Publications reflect her focus on urban health, environmental justice, and pandemic impacts. Awards include the Muriel R. Sloan Communitarian Award (2019) and recognition for her NatureRx@UMD initiatives. She teaches courses like Black Bodies and Green Spaces and Zip Code: Its Prediction on Physical Activity.

Labs/Teams: PHOEBE Laboratory, Wekesa Earth Center, NatureRx@UMD.