Photo of Jennifer Ahern

Research Bio

Jennifer Ahern is an epidemiologist whose research focuses on the social determinants of health, urban environments, and causal inference in population health. She studies how housing, violence, and economic conditions shape health outcomes, particularly in marginalized communities. Ahern’s work integrates epidemiologic modeling, systems science, and policy analysis to understand and address inequities in public health. Her research informs interventions that promote resilience and health equity across populations. 

She is Professor of Epidemiology, Executive Associate Dean, and Acting Associate Dean for Research in the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley. She previously served as President of the Society for Epidemiologic Research. She mentors students in epidemiologic methods, social epidemiology, and policy evaluation.

Research Expertise and Interest

mental health, epidemiology, social epidemiology, population health, neighborhood characteristics and health, methodological issues and novel methodological applications in social, traumatic events, substance use, behavioral health, birth outcomes and maternal health

In the News

Depression puts South African girls at higher risk of contracting HIV

Teen girls in South Africa face an extraordinary threat of HIV: By the time they reach adulthood, one in four South African girls will have contracted the virus, and most are first infected during adolescence. Experiencing depression puts these girls at even higher risk of HIV infection, reveals analyses led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and based on a longitudinal study led by colleagues at the University of North Carolina and the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.
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