In addition to conducting research focusing on neuromuscular physiology, Dr. Jennifer Jakobi has an active community engagement program to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) advances for underrepresented persons.
Dr. Jennifer Jakobi is the Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (WWEST) Associate Chair at UBC Okanagan. In her role, she is tasked with bringing together educators, researchers, and industry partners in the Okanagan to improve the retention of women and other underrepresented groups in STEM fields. She works to accomplish these goals by networking with industry partners and other STEM groups at UBC Okanagan.
Dr. Jennifer Jakobi is also the Director of the integrative STEM Team Advancing Networks of Diversity (iSTAND) program in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences. The team is dedicated to educating and exciting children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, about STEM by engaging them in fun, interactive activities featuring neuromuscular, health, exercise sciences and engineering principles. Opportunities to experience these fields are provided in the form of individual school visits, workshops, after-school programs, and spring/summer camps.
Furthermore, Dr. Jakobi is the program director for The Wellness Wave, a community wellness initiative put on through the Aging in Place Research Cluster whose main objective is to bring physically and mentally stimulating activities to older adults living in independent living facilities. Though started out as a single-facility community initiative, it has grown to include four residences, and is still ongoing.