Women's History Month Spolight: Dr. Jessica Jennings

Dr. Jessica Amber Jennings
Associate Professor
Biomedical Engineering

“The scientific community is actively working to address long-standing disparities in career and the perception of women in engineering....but there is still a long way to go.”
- Dr. Jennings

Research Expertise: Biomaterials

Dr. Jessica Jennings brought her biomedical engineering skills to the University of Memphis 15 years ago. She received both her B.S. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Alabama. Dr. Jennings became interested in engineering because of her abiity to create and design, as well as her problem-solving skills. Thus far, one of her biggest career accomplishments was being awarded the NSF CAREER award, which recognizes her dual roles of leading a research team and educating future engineers and scientists. During her career, she has designed biomaterials that fight off antimicrobial resistance and keep bacteria off of implants. She said that being a woman in a male dominated career field can come with challenges.  Dr. Jennings tries to enhance her skill at identifying and confronting biases that women have or that others may have and overlook.