Jennifer Ahern PhD ’07, MPH ’00 is Associate Dean for Research and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. She examines the effects of the social and physical environment, and programs and policies that alter the social and physical environment, on many aspects of health. Ahern has a methodological focus to her work, including application of causal inference methods and semi-parametric estimation approaches, aimed at improving the rigor of observational research, and optimizing public health intervention planning.

On public health and the challenges we face

We have to keep fighting for society to value and fund disease prevention and health promotion, in an era when focus has shifted more than ever to medicine, particularly personalized medicine.

Secrets for success

Collaboration with people who bring expertise from different disciplines and skills for different features of the work is key to success in public health.

“Berkeley moment”

All of the personal support and guidance I received from our amazing faculty—especially Barbara Abrams, Steve Selvin, Len Syme, and Art Reingold.