Bio
Jennifer (“Jenna”) Davis is Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Higgins-Magid Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, both of Stanford University. She also heads the Stanford Program on Water, Health & Development. Professor Davis’ research and teaching is focused at the nexus of water, economic development and public health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. She has conducted field research in more than 20 countries, including most recently Zambia, Bangladesh, and Uganda.
Academic Appointments
-
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
-
Senior Fellow, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
-
Member, Bio-X
-
Member, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Administrative Appointments
-
Director, Stanford Program on Water, Health & Development (2015 - Present)
Honors & Awards
-
Leopold Leadership Fellow, Stanford University (2018)
-
WASH Alliance Prize recipient, Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge, Stanford University, Lotus Water Team (2014)
-
Higgins-Magid Fellow, Stanford University (2010)
-
Clayman Institute Faculty Fellow, Stanford University, Clayman Institute for Gender Research (2009-2010)
-
Finalist, Water for All Competition, Suez Environment Foundation (2009)
-
Eugene L. Grant Teaching Award, Stanford University (2007)
-
Irwin Sizer Award for the Most Significant Improvement to MIT Education, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2006)
-
MIT IDEAS Award ("Innovative Projects with the Potential to Make a Positive Change in the World"), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2005)
-
Research Award, Mellon-MIT Program on NGOs and Forced Migration, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2005)
-
Service Learning Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Public Service Center (2005)
-
Salzburg Fellow, Salzburg Seminar, Austria (2001)
-
Ford Professional Development Chair, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1998-2002)
-
Office of Research and Development STAR Fellow, United States Environmental Protection Agency (1996-1998)
-
Award for Outstanding Service to the Community, North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award (1996)
-
Foreign Language/Area Studies Fellow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Latin American Studies (1995-1996)
-
Frank Porter Graham Honor Society Award, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (1994)
-
Florence Schepp Fellow, Leopold Schepp Foundation (1993-1994)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
-
Member, Advisory Board, US Agency for International Development Sustainable WASH Systems Initiative (2017 - Present)
-
Member, Faculty Advisory Board, Stanford Center for Poverty and Development (2017 - Present)
-
Member, Executive Committee, Stanford Program in Sustainable Science & Practice (2016 - Present)
-
Associate Editor, Water Security (2016 - 2018)
-
Senior Fellow, Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health (2015 - Present)
-
Member and co-Chair, Environmental Ventures Program, Stanford Woods Institute (2012 - 2016)
-
Faculty Advisor, Stanford chapter, Engineers for a Sustainable World (2011 - 2015)
-
Member, Expert Working Group on Global Sanitation Monitoring, World Health Organization and the United Nations (2011 - 2014)
-
Co-founder and Faculty Lead, Stanford Program on Water, Health & Development (2010 - Present)
-
Member, Advisory Board,, Center for Latin American Studies, Stanford University (2010 - 2016)
-
Co-faculty Advisor, Stanford chapter, Engineers for a Sustainable World (2010 - 2011)
-
Member, Earth Systems review committee, Stanford University (2010 - 2011)
-
Member, Gendered Innovations Faculty Advisory Board, Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University (2010 - 2011)
-
Member, Executive Committee, Emmett Interdisciplinary Graduate Program on Environment & Resources, Stanford University (2009 - Present)
-
Member, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (ASEEP) Committee, President’s Initiative on "Framing and Expanding Opportunities for Environmental Research using Economic, Financial, and Business Entrepreneurship Principles (2009 - 2011)
-
Associate Editor, Journal of Water Quality, Exposure & Health (2008 - 2016)
-
Member, Global Water Partnership Technical Executive Committee (2008 - 2016)
-
Member, Winrock Water editorial board (2004 - 2015)
-
Water and Environment Advisor, Acumen Fund (2004 - 2009)
-
Member, Global Village Engineers Board of Directors (2004 - 2008)
-
Member, United Nations Millennium Development Task Force for Water and Sanitation (2003 - 2005)
-
Advisor, Project BRAVO (NGO promoting household biosand filters) (2003 - 2004)
-
Panel chair, “Meeting the Millennium Development Goals for water.”, Harvard International Development Conference, Harvard University (2003 - 2003)
-
Member, 1-year degree program scoping committee, Department of Urban Studies & Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2002 - 2003)
-
Instructor on water pricing and urban upgrading workshop, Department of Urban Studies & Planning Summer Development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2001 - 2002)
-
Lead faculty member, MIT-Boston University Urban Africa Initiative (2000 - 2002)
-
Member of core curriculum review panel, Department of Urban Studies & Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2000 - 2001)
-
Research proposal reviewer, The National Science Foundation, US Agency for International Development, the International Vaccine Institute, the National Geographic Society, the Harvard Institute for International Development, the UK Department for International Development, and the World Bank (1999 - Present)
-
Reviewer, Environmental Science &Technology, Water Resources Research, Journal of Environmental Management, World Development, Water Policy, Environmental Engineering Science, International Development & Planning Review, American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, International Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (1999 - Present)
-
Group head of graduate admissions, Department of Urban Studies & Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1999 - 2001)
-
Member, The International Water Association, International Water History Association, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, and American Association of University Women (1998 - Present)
-
Member, Master of City Planning Degree committee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1998 - 2002)
Professional Education
-
PhD, UNC-Chapel Hill, Environmental Science & Engineering
-
MSPH, UNC-Chapel Hill, Public Health
Community and International Work
-
Point-of-collection disinfection, Bangladesh
Topic
Water treatment in low-income settings
Partnering Organization(s)
icddr'b, Medentech, MSR Global, PATH
Populations Served
low-income urban households
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No
-
Container-based sanitation solutions, Bangladesh
Topic
Urban sanitation
Partnering Organization(s)
icddr'b, WSUP
Populations Served
low-income urban households
Location
International
Ongoing Project
No
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No