This is the third year that the prize is awarded at the University. The Royal Skyttean Society Prize is awarded to a prominent younger researcher and the prize amount is SEK 20,000.
– It's always exciting to receive a prize and even more fun when it's because of my merits. So it feels amazing and it's a strong confirmation of my research and my work, says Jennie Jackson.
Jennie Jackson earned her PhD in 2017 and has since worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Gävle and at Umeå University. In her research, she focuses on measuring physical workload, but also on psychosocial and organisational work environmental factors, and she often conducts field studies in workplaces.
Project with laundry facility
Among other things, she runs a project together with Elis laundry facility in Ockelbo (formerly Berendsen) with the aim of creating a better working environment, safer production and increased social justice.
– We have observed them during the pandemic and how it has affected their working conditions. Now we have just introduced a work rotation with new work methods as they work more as a team and have a larger mix of tasks, for the very purpose of improving health and creating more even conditions, says Jennie Jackson.
Will study violin players
She was born and raised in Canada and has a master's degree in biomechanics from there. After her defence of her doctoral thesis in occupational and environmental medicine, she has worked on a number of different projects, which she also does now. Among other things, she is working on a new project focusing on occupational health in e-commerce and employees working at large central warehouses packing groceries.
– I also have a collaboration with Uppsala University now where we are studying violin players. In a lab, women and men are asked to play exactly the same piece so that we can see muscle activity and compare variation and physical differences while they are performing exactly the same task. It's very exciting, says Jennie Jackson.
What drives you as a researcher?
– What drives me is that my work can contribute to people feeling better, being healthier, can continue working and live unimpeded without musculoskeletal disorders and muscle problems. It's a personal desire to be able to help people. I am passionate about health-promoting workplaces and developing knowledge about how we can create workplaces where people feel better.
Text: Anna Sällberg