Biography

Dr. Jessica Kirk is an Assistant Professor of Management in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis. She earned her Ph.D. in Management at the University of Colorado in 2019. Prior to her Ph.D. work, Jessica earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Missouri and her M.B.A. at Washington University while working as an engineer in the aerospace industry. Dr. Kirk's research focuses on how stereotyping leads to mistreatment and biased perceptions of women, creating challenges in their pursuit of success. She explores these dynamics in the context or leadership, organizational selection, STEM, and entrepreneurship. Dr. Kirk has conducted work in partnership with the Space Telescope Science Institute, large international tech accelerators, and Fortune 500 corporations.

Recent Publications

Keplinger, K., Johnson, S. K., Kirk, J. F., Barnes, L. Y. (2019) Women at work: Changes in sexual harassment between September 2016 and September 2018. PLOS ONE 14(7): e0218313.

Johnson, S. K., Keplinger, K., Kirk, J. F., Barnes, L. Y. (2019, Jul 18) Has Sexual Harassment at Work Decreased Since #MeToo. Harvard Business Review.

Johnson, S. K., Kirk, J. F., Chan, E. (2018). The Perils of Pretty: Effects of Personal Appearance On Women's Careers. In Impact of Diversity on Career Development.

Johnson, S. K., Kirk, J. F., Keplinger, K. (2016, Oct 4). Why We Fail to Report Sexual Harassment. Harvard Business Review.