Jen Runkle

Director/Senior Research Scientist & Epidemiologist, North Carolina Institute of Climate Studies

Dr. Jennifer Runkle is an environmental epidemiologist and Senior Research Scientist at NC State University's North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS), where she directs the NOAA-funded South Atlantic Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program. With more than 20 years of experience in community-driven research examining the environmental and social drivers of health, she works at the intersection of climate science, public health, and community resilience, translating research into actionable information that helps communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from extreme weather and disasters.

Dr. Runkle's research examines the health, economic, and social consequences of extreme weather-related hazards, with particular attention to how risks and recovery experiences vary across populations, communities, and life stages. Her work includes maternal and child health, mental and behavioral health, healthcare access, and the long-term impacts of disasters such as Hurricane Helene. She also leads efforts to integrate climate and health information into public health surveillance, preparedness, and resilience planning.

Dr. Runkle earned her MSPH and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of South Carolina and completed postdoctoral training in Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology at Emory University.