- Education:BS (Mech. Engineering), University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (1986)
SM (Mech. Engineering), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1989)
PhD (Mech. Engineering), University of California, Berkeley (1996) - Email:jax@bu.edu
- Phone:617-353-2705
Other BU Affiliations
Professor (Affiliated, Department of Environmental Health
Professor (Affiliated), Department of Biomedical Engineering
BU Medical Campus Profile
Biography
Jack Dennerlein, PhD, is Dean of Boston University’s Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and a nationally recognized scholar in occupational health, ergonomics, and worker well-being. His research has focused on designing tools and work systems that improve safety, health, and human performance across diverse industries.
Since joining Boston University, Dr. Dennerlein has led Sargent College through a period of strategic transformation, guided by a collaborative and people-centered approach. Working closely with faculty, staff, students, and alumni, he developed a data-informed strategic plan that defines the college’s priorities and highlights its strengths in interdisciplinary and convergent research.
Under his leadership, Sargent has achieved record levels of research activity, with annual expenditures approaching $18 million, while expanding the infrastructure and partnerships that support faculty scholarship. He has strengthened the faculty through targeted hiring and leadership restructuring, creating new roles that enhance faculty development and advance the college’s strategic priorities.
Dr. Dennerlein has also prioritized student success and program excellence. The college has consistently met or exceeded enrollment goals, advanced a more sustainable doctoral model, and introduced initiatives such as a faculty-led AI effort to prepare students for a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
At the same time, he has guided the college through financial and operational challenges with a focus on long-term sustainability, making strategic programmatic decisions while preserving academic quality. He has expanded partnerships with clinical and community organizations, enhanced experiential learning opportunities, and modernized the college’s communication and marketing efforts.
Through this work, Dr. Dennerlein continues to strengthen Sargent’s national leadership in health and rehabilitation sciences—advancing research, education, and clinical impact to advance a healthier, more equitable world.
Publications
- Lists of published works: Google Scholar
- Lists of published works: ORCID
- NIH National Library of Medicine
- Departments
- Physical Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Rehabilitation Sciences
- Positions
- Faculty and Tenure-track/Tenured