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Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology

Gates Foundation Grand Challenge: Estimating the Global Burden of Diarrheal Diseases (06/16/26)

The Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges Team announced a new grant opportunity, with applications due no later than June 16, 2026, at 11:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time. Estimating the Global Burden of Diarrheal Diseases: Reliable burden estimates are essential for guiding investments in prevention, treatment, and product development. However, estimating diarrheal mortality, morbidity, and pathogen-specific burden remains challenging for a number of reasons. Through this RFP, the Gates Foundation seeks to support independent estimation efforts that inform the overall burden of diarrhea and pathogen-specific contributions, clarify key sources of uncertainty, and produce decision-useful estimates for policymakers, researchers, and global health partners.

Please refer to the RFP for full details on scope and eligibility. We will also host a dedicated webinar on May 14, 2026, from 8:00–9:00 a.m. PT, featuring an overview of the opportunity and time for Q&A. Please register to attend, and submit your questions ahead of the session. A recording will be posted on the challenge page following the session for those unable to join live.

Collaborate with CACHE to Host Your Code and Data 

Have you recently finished a project or published a paper that integrates social and health science data with disaster, climate or environmental data? Would you like to share your code on CACHE? Code can be in any language and will be reviewed and run by peers (CACHE post-docs and staff) before making it public. CACHE welcomes code that uses single data sets of interests (e.g., social or health data that ask about disasters or environmental, climate or disaster data) or integrates between these two types of data.  Submit a short application here.

11th International Conference of the Evolutionary Demography Society (06/16/2026 – 06/18/2026)

The  11th International Conference of the Evolutionary Demography Society will take place at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, from June 16–18, 2026. The EvoDemoS11 meeting brings together researchers working at the intersection of evolution, demography, ecology, and life-history theory. It provides a space to share new empirical findings, develop and test theoretical ideas, and explore how evolutionary processes shape variation in survival, reproduction, aging, and population dynamics across species, including humans. The conference is designed to foster lively discussion across disciplinary boundaries, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, conceptual synthesis, and methodological innovation.

We look forward to a stimulating program featuring talks, posters, and informal exchanges that highlight both cutting-edge research and emerging directions in the field.

To participate, please complete your registration here:
https://evodemos11.weebly.com/registration.html

The registration process will help the organizing committee assign appropriate presentation formats (e.g., long talk, short talk, or lightning talk with poster) and finalize the scientific program in preparation for the meeting in mid-June.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at EvoDemoS11@gmail.com

We look forward to welcoming you to Fort Collins for what promises to be an engaging and productive meeting.

Apply by June 15 to AI in Practice Summer Institute (07/27/26 – 07/31/26)

The eScience Institute at the University of Washington is offering a hands-on 5-day training (July 27 – 31) in AI methods for research, facilitated project work, and self-directed learning. Our event is designed for researchers looking to move beyond textbook examples and tackle the challenges of real-world applications. Applications are now open through June 15.

On day one, the workshop offer a full day of tutorials on AI foundations, during which participants will learn the fundamentals of training and evaluating deep neural networks for various applications such as vision, language, and others. Participants will learn more advanced topics in the following days such as foundation models and scaling workflows. They will also work on a project of their choice to explore different phases of the AI research lifecycle, from problem formulation and model selection to communication of results and responsible use.

When: Mon–Fri, July 27th-31st, 9:00 am–5:00 pm each day

Where: MSDS Space – Seminar Room (In Person / No Online option)

Who should apply: Open to participants from any discipline. Aimed at researchers interested in applying AI methods in their work, i.e., PhD students, postdocs, research faculty and staff, and master’s or undergraduate students who are already involved in research.

Registration: Event cost tiers: UW Student: $30, UW Postdoc: $50, UW Staff/Faculty: $100, Non-UW: $200. Registration is limited, with preference given to UW students, postdocs, staff, and faculty.

Prerequisites: Programming experience in a scripting language such as Python or R. Familiarity with one or more machine learning approaches, such as logistic regression or random forests. Visit our FAQ page for more information about prerequisites.

Our application is now open. Please feel free to distribute this message widely among your colleagues and to email Mark Welden-Smith at mweldens@uw.edu with any questions about the event.

Sevcikova Teaches Module on Bayesian Population Projections in the European Doctoral School of Demography program

This year marked the first time that a dedicated module on probabilistic population forecasting was included in the European Doctoral School of Demography program, and it was taught by CSDE Research Scientist Hana Ševčíková and CSDE Affiliate Adrian Raftery (Statistics and Sociology). The course, taught May 18-22, 2026, focused on demographic state-of-the-art forecasting methods and introduced students to the foundations of Bayesian statistics, which play an increasingly important role in modern population research.

The European Doctoral School of Demography brings together doctoral student researchers from across Europe and beyond, creating a unique international environment for advanced demographic training. The program offers students the opportunity to learn from leading scholars in the field while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange of ideas across a broad range of population topics.

The week-long module on probabilistic projections which took place at INED in Paris, attracted highly engaged and curious doctoral students, who actively participated in discussions and asked many thoughtful and insightful questions throughout the course. Students showed strong interest in both the theoretical foundations and practical applications of Bayesian population forecasting methods, contributing to a lively and stimulating academic environment.

To arrange a consultation appointment with Hana Sevcikova or any of CSDE’s scientific support staff, please use the CSDE Science Core Consultation Request form

Acolin Publishes Cross-Disciplinary Framework for Addressing Adolescent and Young Adult Climate Distress

In a recent article published in PLOS Climate, CSDE Affiliate Jessica Acolin (Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences) and co-authors present a framework for addressing adolescent and young adult mental health and distress related to climate change. The framework was developed through qualitative focus groups with experts who offered disciplinary perspectives across public health, epidemiology, community-based organizations, and clinical mental health practice. Three interdisciplinary themes emerged: Knowledge Generation (increasing scientific knowledge about the causes, consequences, and prevalence of climate distress and viable treatments); Framing and Communication (providing realistic hope without creating undue distress); and Resource Allocation (expanding funding and creative strategies for addressing mental health concerns given limited resources). Centering most-impacted populations and focusing on systemic rather than individual change emerged as meta-themes or guiding principles.

SSRC LEGO Foundation Fellowship for Early Career Researchers (07/31/26)

The Social Science Research Council is pleased to announce the LEGO Foundation Fellowship, a new global research fellowship developed in partnership with the LEGO Foundation. Research themes of interest include:

  • the youngest children in crisis and conflict settings
  • inclusion and wellbeing for neurodivergent children
  • children’s thriving in an AI-enabled world

Applications are due July 31.  The fellowship will provide flexible support of up to $300,000 over three years for early- and mid-career researchers whose work can strengthen understanding of how children thrive across diverse contexts.  Learn more here.

National Academies Research Associateship Programs (RAP) (08/03/26)

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine invites applications by August 3 for the NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP), a prestigious research fellowship program that is open to postdoctoral and senior researchers with a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., or D.V.M. (or near completion). These programs are designed to advance scientific discovery and innovation and provide the opportunity to design independent research projects, collaborate with leading scientists, and contribute to mission-driven innovation.   RAP offers more than 1,000 active opportunities to conduct research at participating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions at locations throughout the U.S. and abroad. It offers a competitive monthly stipend (base stipend varies by host laboratory and may be higher based on experience; refer to research opportunity description for amount), and is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and foreign nationals. (Applicants should refer to citizenship requirements for each agency.)