The University of St Andrews is seeking to appoint three Post-Doctoral Research Fellows to work on a project on Understanding Life Trajectories of Immigrants and Their Descendants in Europe and Projecting Future Trends (MigrantLife) funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The five-year project is led by Prof. Hill Kulu and it will investigate how employment, housing and family trajectories evolve and interact in the lives of immigrants and their descendants in the UK, France, Germany and Sweden; and how factors related to a societal context, an early life context and critical transitions shape their life histories. The study will project their future life trajectories using innovative computer simulation techniques, considering the main life domains and diversity between and within immigrant groups. The project will exploit large-scale longitudinal data from the four countries to deepen our understanding of the relationships between the three life domains, and the causes of less and more successful life trajectories among immigrants and their descendants. This project will show whether the current heterogeneity between and within immigrant and minority groups vanishes over time or rather persists, suggesting an increasing diversity of European societies.

This is an excellent opportunity for dynamic and dedicated researchers to work in an international team of researchers on a highly relevant topic. Research Fellows will investigate the interactions between employment, housing and family trajectories among immigrants and their descendants in the UK, France, Germany and Sweden, will project their future life trajectories, will contribute to comparative studies of the four European countries and will write up research results for publication in leading international social science journals. They will also help organise international workshops and will be responsible for the design and update of the project webpage. Each research fellow will be responsible for data preparation and analysis from one of the four countries. The candidates should have a PhD in a social science discipline (including statistics, applied mathematics and computer science), experience in handling longitudinal data and conducting event history analysis and/or microsimulation. Good communication and management skills are essential.

The posts are available from October 2019 for three years with the possibility of extension for one or two years.

Further details can be found at: https://www.vacancies.st-andrews.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/6401/0/239995/889/research-fellow-3-ar2241sb.

Informal enquiries can be directed to: Professor Hill Kulu (Hill.Kulu@standrews.ac.uk).

A research project in the School of Computer Science & Engineering is looking to hire a student for project management and data management of a study on discrimination and unfair treatment experienced by undergraduate students, using multiple types of data.

TOPIC & DATA FORMS: The study focuses on discrimination and other stressors and forms of unfair treatment experienced by undergraduate students, with particular focus on those in engineering and computer science. Both self-administered survey data (electronically collected baseline and EMA), passive sensing data (e.g., Fitbits, phones), and interview data are involved.

FTE & TIME RANGE: Primarily part-time until mid Winter quarter 2020, then full-time for 5 months. Continued FTE depends on funding available. Longer full-time may be viable if the full range of needs can be met (e.g., qualitative data collection and analysis in addition to project and data management).

NEEDS: Primarily project management and data management (including data quality oversight). Details below. A person need not have experience with all of these but does need to be a quick learner and have basic experience with research and project management. Specialized instruction will be available to provide needed training and consultation with challenges that may arise.

• Leading IRB processes—submitting and modifying applications
• Contributing to discussions about study design and measurement; editing measures as needed; bringing inconsistencies or problems to the team
• Server administration skills (optional): ‘unix server and database administration
• Coordination of passive sensing data—e.g., buy and oversee management of Fitbit data, downloading, trouble shooting problems
• Data quality oversight, may involve checking in with students undertaking some of this work as well as direct data monitoring
• Human subjects payments and related management (i.e. book keeping)
• Managing UW data requests for student information (e.g., student respondent GPAs)
• Recruiting student participants and overseeing notifications, retention, questions that may arise.
• Managing undergraduate students who are working on various parts of the study
• Data analysis as time and skills allow.
• Support in developing and processing grants.

Qualitative research skills: developing data collection, interviewing, data coding and analysis

CONTACT: Email Dr. Jennifer Mankoff with question or interest:  jmankoff@cs.washington.edu

NOTE: Dr. Mankoff is currently away with family business and an automatic email reply may appear. Please include the term URGENT in the subject header of emails to her. If difficulties arise, email Dr. Paula Nurius nurius@uw.edu to help with communication.

Edited by

Shelley Clark
Department of Sociology
McGill University

Sam Harper
Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health
McGill University

Bruce Weber
Department of Applied Economics
Oregon State University

It is well established that childhood conditions have profound and lasting influence on children’s wellbeing. Yet, much of what we know comes from studies of urban children or national databases, which are dominated by urban samples. Consequently, surprisingly little is known about how the social and economic conditions in which rural children are raised are related to their outcomes and life chances. Such analyses are important as the experience of growing up in rural America has changed over the past several decades and varies considerably across rural communities, leading to contrasting images of what it is like to grow up in rural America. Some depictions emphasize its positive dimensions including strong social support among neighbors, opportunities for learning the disciplines of hard work and personal integrity, and developing a deep attachment to the land and natural environment. Other accounts detail the hardships experienced during childhood, where good job opportunities are limited, incomes are low, housing is dilapidated, and racial discrimination is deeply entrenched. Even within a given rural area, its image may change over time. These dramatic changes and contrasting images highlight the growing need for a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how rural environments may shape the immediate and longer-term wellbeing of children and youth.

To advance academic knowledge of the implications of growing up rural and to develop policies that promote greater geographic equality, this volume will examine how being born and raised in rural America shapes the immediate and longer-term wellbeing of children and youths. The issue will feature original qualitative and quantitative research that focuses on four key life domains: family dynamics, education, economic security, and health. We are particularly (but not exclusively) interested in studies that expand our current knowledge by 1) examining the links between specific rural contextual characteristics and the wellbeing of children and youth and/or 2) assessing the cumulative or longer-term outcomes for those born and raised in rural areas. We also invite studies that provide a synthesis of person- and place-based policies designed to improve outcomes for rural youths. We encourage proposals from a range of social sciences including economics, education, demography, geography, public health, social work, and sociology.

Please click here for a full description of the topics covered in this call for articles.

Anticipated Timeline

Prospective contributors should submit a CV and an abstract (up to two pages in length, single or double spaced) of their study along with up to two pages of supporting material (e.g., tables, figures, pictures, etc.) no later than 5 PM EST on September 26, 2019 to:

rsf.fluxx.io

NOTE that if you wish to submit an abstract and do not yet have an account with us, it can take up to 48 hours to get credentials, so please start your application at least two days before the deadline. All submissions must be original work that has not been previously published in part or in full. Only abstracts submitted to rsf.fluxx.io will be considered. Each paper will receive a $1,000 honorarium when the issue is published. All questions regarding this issue should be directed to Suzanne Nichols, Director of Publications, at journal@rsage.org and not to the email addresses of the editors of the issue.

A conference will take place at the Russell Sage Foundation in New York City on March 27, 2020. The selected contributors will gather for a one-day workshop to present draft papers (due a month prior to the conference on 2/27/20 ) and receive feedback from the other contributors and editors. Travel costs, food, and lodging for one author per paper will be covered by the foundation. Papers will be circulated before the conference. After the conference, the authors will submit their revised drafts by 6/3/20. The papers will then be sent out to three additional scholars for formal peer review. Having received feedback from reviewers and the RSF board, authors will revise their papers by 11/2/20. The full and final issue will be published in the late summer/fall of 2021. Papers will be published open access on the RSF website as well as in several digital repositories, including JSTOR and UPCC/Muse.

Please click here for a full description of the topics covered in this call for articles.

Future Review: International Journal of College and Career Success is calling for articles related to transitions to post-secondary education and to the world of work. I am inviting colleagues to submit their work to our second issue which we plan to publish this Fall 2019.

You can visit the journal website (www.futurereview.org) to read the full aim and scope of the publication. However, I can share briefly that the purpose of this journal is to disseminate knowledge and novel ideas related to post-secondary transitions. This journal is appropriate for researchers and professionals interested in the academic, intrapersonal, and social factors that affect a successful transition from high school to post-secondary school or employment.

This panel is being convened by former CSDE Fellow Michelle O’Brien and is chaired by CSDE Affiliate Nathalie Williams!

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) will host the 11th annual Undergraduate Research Conference at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology on Nov. 16-17, 2019, at the University of Tennessee Conference Center in Knoxville, TN.

The conference provides opportunities for undergraduates to present their research at the interface of biology and mathematics. Student talks and posters will be featured as well as a plenary speaker, a panel on career opportunities, a graduate school showcase, and other networking opportunities. Faculty and students are invited to attend, as well as high school teachers.

A limited amount of support is available to cover the cost of registration, lodging and travel – deadline is September 25 to request funding. Conference registration deadline is October 16.

If you have or plan to request funding, do not register for the conference until you have been contacted by NIMBioS about the status of your funding request. For more information, go to http://www.nimbios.org/education/undergrad_conf2019

The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education. NSF especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, persons with disabilities, veterans, and undergraduate seniors to apply.

The Environmental Justice Fund is a grant opportunity for community-led projects that improve environmental conditions, respond to impacts of climate change and get us closer to achieving environmental justice. Created in 2017, the Fund is overseen by the Environmental Justice Committee, people with deep community roots working closely with communities on environmental justice issues.

Environmental hazards and climate change affect everyone, but communities of color, immigrants, refugees and Native people experience more significant harms because of where they live and work.  We know that the most effective environmental and climate solutions come from the community itself. This Fund provides grants for projects where community members are in positions of leadership, where their lived experience is honored, where their knowledge influences the work, and where they meaningfully participate in project design and implementation.

There is $200,000 available to fund projects in 2019 and the application deadline is Monday, September 16, 4 pm. If you have any questions or need assistance, email ejfrfp@gmail.com