Speakers: Gregg Colburn, Real Estate and Rick Mohler, Architecture, College of Built Environments
Reading: Hood and Gao (2018): “The Elephant in the Region: Charting a Path for Bay Area Metro to Lead a Bold Regional Housing Agenda; Sound Communities 1-pager
On the Brink (Red Carpet Premiere, 6/9/2019)
It is my pleasure to invite you to get tickets to the red carpet premiere of On the Brink on Sunday, June 9th at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. The film starts at 4pm and is followed by a Q&A with film participants and then a reception where people can continue the conversations about carrying forward the legacy of the Central District.
Come watch the film along noted government leaders such as Deputy Mayor Shefali Ranganathan, State Senator Jamie Pedersen, and King County Councilmember Larry Gossett who are all planning to attend. You will also spot a Hall of Fame athlete or two such as Lenny Wilkens and successful musicians like the Black Tones. UW Foster School of Business and LANGSTON Seattle are partnering to host the event, which is shaping up to be a memorable evening.
States as Role Models: Why Some Countries’ Environmental Policies Matter more than Others (CSSS Seminar, 6/5/2019)
Brian Greenhill
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Albany, SUNY
When it comes to developing environmental policy, we often try to learn from the successes and failures of other countries. But which countries does the US public consider to be most relevant? And what factors drive these evaluations? We present the results of a survey that asked a sample of 3,000 US adults to evaluate the relevance of the environmental policies adopted by a randomly-selected panel of countries. We explore the ways in which a combination of individual and state-level variables influence the perceived relevance of the focal countries. Our preliminary findings suggest that the actual environmental performance of the focal countries matters less than the degree to which these countries have committed themselves to a similar set of environmental goals as the US.
Coauthored with Charmaine Willis
Analysis of Results: CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Dataset (EPI514 Annual Presentation, 6/6/2019)
We invite you to attend this year’s EPI 514 annual presentation of results of analyses using the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset
All are welcome to drop in, or stay for the entire session – refreshments served during the poster session 2-3pm
Our diverse topics this year include various projects on mental health, alcohol, e-cigarettes, tobacco and marijuana use, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, firearm storage practices, gender and sexual identity, fast food labeling, stress related to caregiving, physical activity, influenza vaccination, native populations, childhood asthma, contraceptive contraindications and use, arthritis, neighborhood safety, social support, and access to health care.
Attached is the program schedule. We hope to see you there!
EPI 514 Teaching Team: Alyson, Steve, and Graduate Student TA Matthew
P.S. If you are attending from outside the UW, let us know and we may be able to help with parking.
Graduate Research Assistant, Computational Social Science (with Tim Thomas)
The UW Eviction’s Research Project is expanding our current work in the state of Washington (see https://evictions.study) to include Baltimore, Maryland and linking local homelessness service recipient data to understand links between evictions and homelessness, especially among young adults and youth. This work will inform policies on housing insecurity in upcoming legislative sessions and lead to several academic publications.
We are looking for one full-time or two part-time computational social science Graduate Research Assistant(s) (GRA) for paid hourly work for the summer of 2019. Candidates are required to have at least intermediate skills in R (e.g., you use R on a regular basis for your work and other projects), statistics, and academic research (e.g., literature reviews, writing, etc.). Preferred skills include git, python, machine learning, gis or spatial statistics, related computational skillsets, and an understanding of population and/or sociological research. GRA duties will include attending weekly meetings, data management and analysis, literature reviews and write-ups for reports and publications, and assisting in other tasks to move the project forward.
Depending on the pool of candidates, we may mix and match individuals with a partial list of the above skills and will train all candidates in any skillsets needed to accomplish the work. So, if you are at least interested, please apply.
Please email your CV and a cover letter (statement of interest and qualifications) to Tim Thomas at t77@uw.edu by June 9th. Applications will be reviewed until we fill the position(s).
Thank you!
Assistant Professor, Sociology
Tenure-track position in Sociology, at the rank of assistant professor, with expertise in criminology, corrections, punishment, and/or crime. These topics may be stand-alone areas of inquiry, or they may be highlighted substantially in conversation with other areas of inquiry such as public health, demography, race and social inequalities. Qualified applicants will also have expertise in quantitative methods. Desirable candidates will also have a demonstrated desire to connect with local organizations for community-based research and/or teaching. Effective August 2020. Ph.D. required.
CSDE End-of-Year Reception!
As we close out the 2018-19 academic year, we’re thrilled to celebrate another successful year and recognize the achievements of CSDE Fellows and Trainees. Please join us in learning more about their accomplishments and celebrating our community. Students will also receive their certificates for completing the Graduate Certificate in Demographic Methods. CSDE Affiliates, Trainees, Staff, and anyone interested in joining the CSDE community are welcome to attend. There will be refreshments and a brief program.
Ethnic Bias in Criminal Sentencing in China, Yue Hou (JSIS Lecture, 5/30/2019)
Yue Hou, University of Pennsylvania
Are ethnic minorities treated differently from the Han Chinese in the Chinese courts? How does ethnic identity of judges affect sentencing severity? Using a newly and publicly available dataset of more than 120,000 drug offense cases in ethnically diverse provinces, we present the first analysis of ethnic bias in sentencing patterns in the Chinese local courts. We identify a degree of ethnic bias in the criminal justice system, but that the bias varies substantially across different jurisdictions. In Yunnan province, ethnic minority defendants receive longer sentences than Han defendants that have committed equivalent crimes, while bias is less prevalent in nearby provinces. Theoretically, this finding raises the possibility of ethnic minority concentration being a key determinant of sentencing outcomes. When ethnic minority groups hold a large share of the population in a region, and when that region witnesses social instability, minority defendants face disproportionately harsh sentences. Further analysis of county-level data from Yunnan province reveals evidence in favor of this hypothesis. We also test how the presence of lawyers might affect judge rulings. (Project and analysis completed with Rory Truex, Princeton University.)
Conversation with Alex Counts, Founder, Grameen Foundation (Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits, 5/30/2019)
Please join the Nancy Bell Evans Center on Nonprofits & Philanthropy in a conversation with Alex Counts, Founder, President and CEO of the Grameen Foundation. Alex will discuss his forthcoming book: Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind.” Drawing on his decades of experience as an acclaimed nonprofit leader, Alex Counts offers practical advice on such vital activities as fundraising, team-building, communications, and management. He shows you how to run an organization—and your own life—both effectively and sustainably, giving joyfully to those around you while also caring generously for yourself.”
Alex Counts founded the Grameen Foundation and became its President and CEO in 1997, after having worked in microfinance and poverty reduction for 10 years. Initially as a Fulbright Scholar, he trained under Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, and co-recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. He is currently a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland College Park and sits on the Advisory Council of the Center for Financial Inclusion.
Director, Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System
The Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System (WCWPDS) is charged with developing and providing a comprehensive array of professional development opportunities which align with the state, county, and tribal child welfare and youth justice workforce needs, and the training and professional development needs of foster parents. The system delivers hundreds of training and professional development activities throughout Wisconsin, serving almost 20,000 trainees, annually. Technical assistance using organizational effectiveness and continuous quality improvement models is also provided to counties and tribes, upon request.