Jennings main areas of research focus on fate, transport, and biogeochemistry of environmental pollutants, bioremediation, and
environmental justice for underrepresented groups. After completion of her undergraduate degree and before attending graduate school, Jennings worked for a couple of years studying water pollution at a field station in
Big Sur in
California. It was at this time Jennings began thinking about using her science skills to serve the places she was from, especially for topics such as environmental issues caused by mining. Her current work focuses on identifying soil health biogeochemical indicators of soil reclamation, in order to make modern mining reclamation more effective and cost efficient, while also tracking how policy has placed many mines on/or bordering tribal nations and extraction on public lands. Jennings has been part of the Indigenous Food Knowledges Network (IFKN) and in June 2019 went to
Alaska to visit the Chickaloon Village to learn about food and land systems. Jennings credits her involvement with the
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) in graduate school for helping develop her research skills and to envision ways to honor Indigenous data sources and contributions, connecting the geosciences with cultural identity. In addition to her international conference presentations on topics such as
Biogeophysical Soil Constituents Associated with Revegetation Success of Reclaimed Mine Tailings in Southern Arizona, Jennings has presented on Indigenous data governance and Indigenous-led collaborations across biomes. Jennings utilized her time as an
American Geophysical Union Voices of Science advocate "to increase visibility of Indigenous scientists, and how we are not just the “subject” of scientific inquiry, but rather, are continuing our traditions of scientific practices held within cultural and environmental knowledge." When her May 2020 graduate education was canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, Jennings decided to run 50 miles in honor of the Indigenous scientists and knowledge keepers who came before her. Her run was recorded and produced as a 19-minute documentary titled
Run to Be Visible and released on
Patagonia's
YouTube channel as part of their "Run to" series. Jennings is often accompanied by her fieldwork assistant, a
blue heeler named Salchicha whom she adopted in 2019. == Awards and honors ==