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Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology

*New* Biomarker Working Group: DNA Methylation and Epigenetic Clocks (8/1/24)

Date: Thursday, August 1, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: Raitt 223 and https://washington.zoom.us/j/91571954774

Please join the CSDE Biomarker Working Group for an upcoming discussion on DNA methylation and epigenetic clocks as biomarkers of aging! Special guest, Dr. Calen Ryan (Associate Research Scientist and Senior Data Scientist, Butler Columbia Aging Center at Columbia University) will present an overview of how epigenetic clocks are used in research on biological aging. Following the presentation, there will be time for questions and discussions of how DNA methylation data and methods might be applied to your research interests. From some background reading, please check out this review paper by Dr. Ryan.

The Biomarker Working Group meets on the first Thursday of each month. Please contact Tiffany Pan (tpan@uw.edu) for more information.

Casey Discusses Hurricane Related Power Outages and the Health Risks Involved in the New York Times

Over the last few weeks, Hurricane Beryl has impacted many residents of the southern coast of the U.S. and various Central American and Caribbean countries. Future Hurricanes Could Stress Power Grids of U.S. Cities and the risk of hurricane-induced power outages, “could become 50 percent higher in some areas because of climate change in the coming decades.” A new analysis was created by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute to map how hurricanes will impact power grids and allow residents of typical hurricane impacted areas to check how vulnerable their area is. While the article goes into the various environmental and social impacts of hurricanes’ effect on power supplies, CSDE Affiliate Joan Casey discusses the health risks involved. There are various people who rely on electricity-dependent respirators, so when hurricanes cause extended power outages, they are put in dangerous situations.

Congratulations to CSDE’s Graduating T32 Fellows!

Congratulations to CSDE’s T32 Fellow graduating cohort! All of us at CSDE are proud of your accomplishments and wish you the best of luck in the next chapter of your lives and all that follows!  Stay in touch!

*New* Mapping Homelessness: Visualizing Trends and Challenges

In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision backing anti-camping laws, which significantly impacts homeless individuals across the nation, PolicyMap’s U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Homelessness data update comes at a crucial time. This refreshed dataset provides essential insights into homelessness, helping communities and policymakers better understand and respond to the ever evolving challenges faced by homeless populations.

The data comes from HUD’s Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR), which displays a snapshot of homelessness in the United States on a single night. The AHAR contains point-in-time (PIT) counts of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.1 The PIT estimates are collected by local planning bodies within HUD-defined Continuums of Care (CoC). The CoCs coordinate a full range of homelessness services in a geographic area, which may cover a city, county, metropolitan area, or an entire state. All available HUD Homelessness data is available on PolicyMap from 2007 to 2023.

Postdoctoral researchers/research associates (Open until filled)

The Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania has openings for postdoctoral researchers/research associates to conduct modeling work related to behavioral change, epidemiological modeling, and health policy. A Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (e.g., statistics, biostatistics, public health, quantitative psychology, and economics) is required.

First-year postdoctoral researchers will receive a minimum stipend of $65,000 commensurate with prior postdoctoral experience and serve in a 12-month appointment, beginning September 1, 2024. Renewal for subsequent years is contingent upon performance and budgetary considerations. A relocation allowance of up to $1,000 for domestic relocations and up to $2,000 for international relocations is available to offset pre-approved, receipt-documented relocation expenses, and ASC will reimburse up to $3,000 in travel / research expenses for work conducted in the lab. Post-docs and their dependents are eligible for health insurance under the University of Pennsylvania’s plans outlined here: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay/postdoctoral-researchers-and-fellows.

All postdoctoral fellows must submit documentation to demonstrate eligibility to work in the United States. Non-US citizens selected for this position will be required to apply for an appropriate US visa.

If interested, please submit a CV, a research statement, three research papers, and the names of three references at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexg995SX3xa8lhMgGb6YJwhBk5wNMz5p8coirrnkIRzksing/viewform?usp=sf_link  

Please note that the University of Pennsylvania limits post-doctoral appointments to a maximum of five years, including time spent in post-doctoral appointments prior to joining Penn. Research associates are longer-term positions.