Jessica M. Perkins, PhD

Dr. Perkins is an interdisciplinary social and behavioral scientist and Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt Peabody College. Her research focuses on shared views and networks in driving HIV prevention and treatment, particularly in Uganda, funded by an NIMH Early Career Research Scientist Development Award. This work involves a community-based cohort study addressing health outcomes in rural Uganda and collaborations on HIV prevention in Tennessee. Her research spans topics such as ART adherence, HIV testing, stigma, and mental health. Dr. Perkins holds a PhD in Health Policy from Harvard, an MS in Population and International Health from Harvard School of Public Health, and a bachelor's in Psychology from Davidson College. She has extensive experience in quantitative and qualitative research across various countries and teaches community health and development courses.