Early Career Researcher Spotlight: Jennifer Whittaker

As part of our Morning Speaker Series—a weekly series in which the center invites internal and external experts to share their work with us—PolicyLab hosts an “Early Career Researcher Spotlight” presentation twice a year to highlight the incredible research our early career staff members are working on. We sat down with research scientist Jennifer Whittaker, PhD , one of our recent spotlight presenters, to find out what inspires her work and what kind of impact she hopes to have in the future.

In?a few?sentences, can you provide a high-level summary of your research?as well as a brief description of the methods you utilize in your work??

Jennifer: During this presentation, I focused on a project called “Our Rural Pennsylvania,” an online interactive atlas created by mothers and caregivers to record the everyday places that influence their family’s health. This project used photovoice, a research method by which researchers partner with participants who capture photos and share stories about the photos in a way that reveals their own perspective or experience. This method is one of many qualitative methods I use as part of my work as a qualitative researcher supporting multiple PolicyLab projects related to maternal and child health.

What inspired you to get into this field of research??

Jennifer: My training is in urban and regional planning, but I joined the public health world because I was really interested in how our community and environment affects our health. Trying to better understand and address those social and structural determinants of health has been a theme in many projects I have worked at PolicyLab.

What are you most excited about digging into as you continue this work?

Jennifer: I am excited to continue thinking about the role that urban planners play in influencing maternal and child health and what opportunities exist for those working in the planning field to facilitate and build communities and environments that support parents and young children.

What advice would you give to someone who is in the beginning stages of their research?career?

Jennifer: Be open to the opportunities that come to you and the ways they can influence your research. Experiences, opportunities, and relationships across many disciplines only strengthen your thinking.