JENNIFER A. PELLOWSKI, PHD

Principal Investigator

My research focuses on improving maternal health globally. Previous research has tended to focus on maternal health in the context of improving child health. While this is an important goal, this narrow focus often achieves child health at the expense of women’s agency and individual priorities. Our research group focuses on understanding women’s experiences during pregnancy and postpartum and supporting this transition so that women can achieve their dreams for themselves and their families. My current work focuses on improving HIV treatment outcomes and the intersection between HIV and NCDs during pregnancy and postpartum in South Africa. I conduct qualitative and quantitative formative studies as well as randomized controlled trials of behavioral interventions.

I joined Brown University as a postdoctoral fellow in 2015 and transitioned to faculty within the School of Public Health in 2017. I earned my PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Connecticut. I currently teach PHP 2720: Implementing Public Health Programs and Interventions in the Global South and PHP 0700: Global Public Health Interventions. When not at work or in Cape Town for research, I love spending time with my husband and my two sons. We enjoy going to brunch, drinking all of the coffee (Dave’s and Nitro Bar are my top PVD picks), baking bread, working in my vegetable garden, weightlifting (I love feeling strong and powerful) and ignoring the piles of laundry in my house.