CSDE-eNews Bulletin

January 29, 2008

CSDE WEEKLY SEMINAR: Jay Bhattacharya -- The Economics of Obesity
CSDE AFFILIATE & FELLOW NEWS: Martina Morris and Susan Cassels -- Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases Symposium; Jennifer Romich is quoted in a Everett Herald article on poverty-level wages
CAMPUS SEMINARS & EVENTS OF INTEREST: Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences Seminar -- Christopher J.L. Murray; Environmental Anthropology Forum -- Tapoja Chaudhuri; IGERT Program in Evolutionary Modeling (IPEM) -- Kathik Panchanathan; Program Evaluators Northwest -- Don Dillman; Washington Global Health Alliance Discovery Series -- Sir Richard Feachem
TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Statistician, Economics -- US Census Bureau; Thomas Francis, Jr. Global Health Fellowship
OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST: Good news from the Human Subjects Division; Writing effective NIH grant proposals; World Bank Publications Announcement; The Population Reference Bureau has added new content to its website

CSDE WEEKLY SEMINAR

Jay Bhattacharya -- The Economics of Obesity

Friday, February 1
12:30 - 2:00 PM
Parrington Hall Commons

CSDE Seminar Schedule

CSDE AFFILIATE & FELLOW NEWS

Martina Morris and Susan Cassels -- Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases Symposium

Martina Morris and Susan Cassels are among the speakers at a full day symposium -- Mathematical Modeling of Infections Diseases: Tools of the Trade

Wednesday, February 13
8:30am - 5:00 PM
Cedar Room at the Talaris Conference Center, Laurelhurst

The symposium is sponsored by:

Scientific Program on Mathematical Modeling for HIV/STD Research
UW/FHCRC Center for AIDS Research
FHCRC Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute

This workshop will provide a brief but comprehensive review of the range of methodological tools used by researchers to model the transmission of infectious diseases through populations. There is a wide variety of methods in use, from simple deterministic models that can be solved analytically or implemented in a spreadsheet, to more complex deterministic models that require specialized computer packages, to stochastic models that permit networks and other heterogeneities to be represented but are very computationally intensive. The workshop will review the theory, computer programs, and computational resources needed for each, with example applications taken from local research projects. The workshop is targeted to interested researchers with no expertise in modeling. The symposium will feature four local modelers, and the keynote address will be given by Professor Bryan Grenfell, who chairs the NIH Modeling Infectious Disease Agent Systems (MIDAS) steering committee.

Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Registration deadline is February 7, 2008. To register please go to the following link:
https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/spmello/48444

For directions to the Talaris Conference Center please go here:
http://www.talariscc.com/directions.php

If you have any questions please contact Mary Lou Gamba, mgamba@fhcrc.org

To view the full program, click here.

Jennifer Romich is quoted in a Everett Herald article on poverty-level wages

Jennifer Romich, Assistant Professor of Social Welfare, is quoted in an article in the January 21, 2008, Everett Herald on the difficulties families encounter trying to make ends meet on poverty-level wages. Read the article here

CAMPUS SEMINARS & EVENTS OF INTEREST

Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences Seminar -- Christopher J.L. Murray

Christopher J.L. Murray, Institute Director, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington
"Estimating Missing Values in Cross-Sectional Time Series: Application of Pattern Recognition"

Wednesday, January 30
12:30 - 1:20 PM
Denny 401

Environmental Anthropology Forum -- Tapoja Chaudhuri

Tapoja Chaudhuri, MPhil
Social Universe of a Protected Area: A photo essay

Wednesday, January 30
3:30-5:00 PM
Denny Hall, 401

IGERT Program in Evolutionary Modeling (IPEM) -- Kathik Panchanathan

Kathik Panchanathan, (UCLA, Anthropology)
Reputation, reciprocity and large-scale cooperation

Thursday, January 31
3:30 - 5:00 PM
Denny 401

Program Evaluators Northwest -- Don Dillman

A Conversation with Professor Don Dillman, Washington State University
How Survey Methodology is Changing

Thursday, January 31
3:30 - 5:30 PM
The Parrington Forum

Washington Global Health Alliance Discovery Series -- Sir Richard Feachem

Sir Richard Feachem, KBE, FREng, DSc(Med), PhD, Professor of Global Health, UCSF & UC Berkeley
"Global Health: Critical Issues for the Next Decade"

Monday, February 4
5:00 PM
Foege Auditorium, S-060, Genome Sciences Building

TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Statistician, Economics -- US Census Bureau

This position is established to provide an expert analyst and consultant to perform statistical analyses projects pertaining to the Energy Sector or to a sub-sector of it. The U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (EIA), is an excellent, family friendly employer and an exciting place to work.

For more information , click here.

Thomas Francis, Jr. Global Health Fellowship

The purpose of the Thomas Francis, Jr. Global Health Fellowship is to promote global health by providing financial assistance to graduate or professional students who would like to gain practical global health field experience in international and/or underserved community settings. Dr. Thomas Francis, Jr. taught Dr. Jonas Salk the methodology of vaccine development, and designed and directed the Salk polio vaccine clinical trials.

Eligible students may be enrolled in any graduate or professional school at the University of Washington, and must submit a project proposal that addresses a global health issue or problem. Projects should be one month to three months in length and must be completed by the end of Winter Quarter 2009. The Fellowship of up to $6,000USD can be used to support student travel costs, including room and board, travel health preparation, travel insurance and/or supplies for a particular global health project. The Fellowship cannot be used to cover tuition costs, school supplies, conference attendance or other non-project related activities.

Applications will be scored based on the strength of the proposal, the relevance to global health and the applicant’s academic and career goals, the significance to the host organization and the commitment by the host organization supervisor and a University of Washington faculty mentor. Fellowship recipients must meet all program deadlines, attend a travel preparation orientation and participate in other Thomas Francis, Jr. Global Health Fellowship activities.

In order to be eligible you must:

Be enrolled in a full-time graduate school or graduate-level professional degree program at the University of Washington (undergraduates, recent graduates and medical residents are NOT eligible)

Identify an international experience, host organization (local or global) and host organization supervisor

Identify a University of Washington faculty mentor to assist you with the development of a project and connect the experience to your academic program and career goals

Submit via e-mail, a completed Thomas Francis, Jr. Global Health Fellowship application WITH supporting documentation by Friday, March 14, 2008 to dwade@u.washington.edu.

Supporting documentation must include : a signed Statement of Commitment from your host organization on-site supervisor, a Letter of Commitment from your University of Washington faculty mentor, a copy of your current resume (no more than 3 pages) and a recent official copy of your University of Washington transcript.

Application [ Word ]

For more information, contact:
Daren Wade, MSW
Director, Global Health Resource Center
Department of Global Health, University of Washington
1959 NE Pacific St, HSC Room T-433
Box 356355
Seattle, WA 98195
206-616-1159 Phone
206-685-8034 FAX
website: http://depts.washington.edu/deptgh/ghrc

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

Good news from the Human Subjects Division

The Human Subjects Division has issued a new policy eliminating the requirement to obtain IRB approval or certification of exemption to analyze many public data sets. In response to requests from several UW research groups, the HSD has examined the regulations and regulatory guidance about the research use of public data sets. A new Public Data Sets Policy describes the results of the analysis. It confirms that there are specific public data sets whose research use does not require review and approval by the UW IRB, because the data sets do not involve “human subjects” as defined by federal regulations.

A New Policy and Procedures webpage has been added to the HSD Web Site. Policy, procedures, guidance, forms, and instructions are currently being developed by HSD. Chapters in which policies, procedures, and supporting materials have been posted and are ready for use are listed on the new page and searchable in a variety of ways.

On February 4, 2008, the Human Subjects Division will deploy a new internal database. The number assigned to your IRB application (e.g., 07-1234-A 01) will change to a new, 5-digit number on that date. You will be able to look up your new application number on the HSD website beginning the week of February 4.

For more information on each of these topics, click here.

Writing effective NIH grant proposals

Writing effective NIH grant proposals: The Center for Scientific Review offers an "Insider's Guide to Peer Review for Applicants "

http://cms.csr.nih.gov/nr/rdonlyres/60b2d32e-ae00-4358-8c51-2e11cc46eac8/15100/insiderguideapplicantsfinal.pdf

World Bank Publications Announcement

Africa's Future, Africa's Challenge : Early Childhood Care and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Edited by Marito H. Garcia, Alan Pence, and Judith Evans
Early childhood intervention programs are one of the most effective ways to build human capital and break the cycle of poverty. Yet the amount spent on early childhood care and education varies considerably, and no model exists that suits every cultural context. Countries have to identify cost effective and adaptable interventions that meet the needs of their communities. At stake: the future of 40 million children and more.
January 2008. 556 pages. ISBN: 978-0-8213-6886-2

China Urbanizes: Consequences, Strategies, and Policies
Edited by Shahid Yusuf and Anthony Saich
The key challenges facing China in the next two decades derive from the ongoing process of urbanization. China's urbanization rate in 2005 was about 43%. Over the next 10-15 years, it is expected to rise to well over 50%, adding an additional 200 million mainly rural migrants to the current urban population of 560 million. How China copes with such a large migration flow will strongly influence rural-urban inequality, the pace at which urban centers expand their economic performance, and the urban environment. The growing population will necessitate a big push strategy to maintain a high rate of investment in housing and the urban physical infrastructure and urban services. To finance such expansion will require a significant strengthening and diversification of China's financial system. Growing cities will greatly increase consumption of energy and water. Containing this without at the same time constraining the economic performance of cities or the improvement in the standards of living will call for enlightened policies, strategies, careful urban planning, and significant technological advances. This volume identifies the key developments to watch and discusses the policies which would affect the course as well as the fruitfulness of change.
January 2008. 228 pages. ISBN: 978-0-8213-7211-1

Building Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity in Rwanda
Edited by Alfred Watkins
Even a subsistence agricultural economy such as Rwanda needs to develop science, technology and innovation (STI) capacity if it hopes to solve such everyday, practical problems as providing energy and clean drinking water to rural villages, and competing in the global economy by producing and selling higher value goods and services. This book provides new insights into the capacity building process and shows that STI capacity building is not a luxury activity suitable primarily for wealthy countries but an absolute necessity for poor countries that hope to become richer.
January 2008. 132 pages. ISBN: 978-0-8213-7363-7

Online: www.worldbank.org/publications
e-mail: books@worldbank.org
Phone: 703-661-1580 or 1-800-645-7247
Fax: 703-661-1501
Mail: World Bank Publications, P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960, U.S.A.

The Population Reference Bureau has added new content to its website

Population Reference Bureau’s Discuss Online: “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Demographic Giants: Ethiopia and Nigeria”

Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (EST)

Dr. Charles Teller, adjunct visiting professor in the Population Studies and Research Center, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, and Bixby Visiting Scholar at PRB. He will be joined online by Nigerian sociologist-demographer Dr. Kolawole Oyediran and Ethiopian demographer-statistician Dr. Assefa Hailemariam.

http://discuss.prb.org

You may submit questions in advance and during the discussion. A full transcript of the questions and answers will be posted after the discussion.

HEALTH

Driving Up Demand for Health Services in Latin America: Conditional Cash Transfers Offer the Poor an Incentive to Attend School and Use Healthcare Facilities

Millions of people live in poverty in Latin America, and many young people often face few prospects for a bright future. To combat the cycle of poverty, over the past decade governments throughout Latin America have adopted a new approach—conditional cash transfers (CCTs). This strategy offers poor households cash in return for fulfilling specific requirements related to health, education, and nutrition. Although reproductive health and family planning have not been a priority for many such programs, CCTs offer a way to reach the poor with information about reproductive health and family planning, as well as increase their access to contraceptives. This article was written by Jay Gribble, director of the BRIDGE project at the Population Reference Bureau.

http://www.prb.org/Articles/2008/healthservices.aspx

Shaping Education on Global Health

In the last five years, interest in global health education has surged. But what should this education look like? What does a person need to know to be literate in global health? At a recent Population Reference Bureau policy seminar sponsored in part by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, a panel of experts gathered to discuss their ideas and vision for global health education. Richard Skolnik, director of international programs at PRB, moderated the discussion. Panelists included: Joanne Carter, associate executive and legislative director, RESULTS; Robert Eiss, senior public health adviser, Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health; Maurice Middleberg, vice president for public policy, Global Health Council; and Richard Riegelman, founding dean and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, George Washington University School of Public Health.

http://www.prb.org/Articles/2008/globalhealtheducation.aspx

PopWire: U.S. Abortion Rate Drops to New Low

The 2005 U.S. abortion rate was 19.4 per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, a 9 percent decline from 2000 and the lowest rate since 1974. The finding came from a survey of all known abortion providers in the United States. The study was conducted by the Guttmacher Institute.

http://www.prb.org/Articles/2008/popwirejan2008.aspx

RACE/ETHNICITY

African-Born Blacks in Washington, DC

Black African immigrants began arriving in the Washington area in the late 1950s and early 1960s as diplomats of newly independent African countries and as students, particularly at historically black Howard University. Beginning in the 1980s, these early immigrants were joined by growing numbers of refugees, diversity visa holders, and other immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Now, the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area vies with New York City as the major destination for immigrants from Africa. This article was written by Jill H. Wilson, a research analyst at the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program.

http://www.prb.org/Articles/2008/blackImmigrantsdc.aspx

Wilson’s article was published in the December 2007 Population Bulletin “Immigration and America’s Black Population.” The Bulletin was written by Mary Mederios Kent, editor, Population Bulletin.

http://www.prb.org/pdf07/62.4immigration.pdf

RSS FEEDS

Subscribe to RSS feeds of PRB news, events, and new content on PRB’s website. You can choose among 13 topics and 6 world regions. When you subscribe to the feed, every time news, events, and feature stories and reports are published to the PRB site, a link to that item is added to your reader.

http://www.prb.org/Rss.aspx