Fiona Doherty

Fiona Doherty, MSW, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. She uses community-engaged participatory research to explore environmental and climate justice issues, with a focus on extreme weather vulnerability, intergenerational solidarity, community resilience, and health in underserved and rural communities. Fiona aims to enhance community well-being through relational strategies that operate across individual, organizational, and policy levels. Her methodological expertise includes participatory photo mapping, mixed methods, and systematic reviews. She draws upon critical theories to investigate the root causes of contextual vulnerabilities and generate community-centered solutions that enhance the well-being of people and the planet.

Fiona's research has been funded by the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), and The Women's Place at Ohio State University. In addition to peer-reviewed journal articles, her work has been highlighted in prominent news sources such as The Guardian and BBC Mundo. She is a Fellow for the 2025-2027 National Science Foundation-funded Enabling the Next Generation of Hazards and Disasters Researchers Program.