Jennifer M. First

Jennifer M. First is an assistant professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee and an external associate at the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine. She is an interdisciplinary social scientist, studying how people prepare and cope with climate change and severe weather events (e.g., tornadoes, floods, extreme heat), with an emphasis on examining and addressing social inequities. She has worked on various topics related to climate change and disasters, including risk communication, protective decision-making, mitigation and adaptation equity, health and well-being, assessment, and measurement. Her research approach is collaborative and community-driven, integrating physical, natural, and social sciences with community stakeholder engagement.