The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) in Annapolis, MD invites proposals from highly qualified graduate students interested in conducting collaborative, socio-environmental synthesis research (i.e. “Graduate Pursuits”).

Graduate Pursuits are supported for a period of 18 months. Such support centers around 3–4 team meetings at SESYNC, but also includes a suite of services ranging from team facilitation to computational and cyber infrastructure resources to science communication.

SESYNC is particularly interested in Graduate Pursuit proposals that bring together diverse backgrounds and disciplines as well as diverse sources of data in novel, integrative ways. Graduate Pursuit proposals that are designed to be applicable or generalizableacross multiple locations and scales in addition to those with potential to contribute to decision-making and non-academic communities are also of special interest to SESYNC.

The full Request for Proposals can be found at the link below. Proposals are due May 15, 2018.

Linking Theory and Empirical Research
Berlin, July 16 – 26, 2018

We are delighted to announce the 8th Berlin Summer School in Social Sciences. The summer school aims at supporting young researchers by strengthening their ability in linking theory and empirical research. The two-week program creates an excellent basis for the development of their current research designs.

In the first week, we address the key methodological challenges of concept-building, causation/explanation, and micro-macro linkage that occur in almost all research efforts. We strive for a clarification of the epistemological foundations underlying methodological paradigms. In the second week, these methodological considerations are applied to central empirical fields of research in political science, sociology, and other related disciplines. In this second part of the program, participants are assigned to four thematic groups according to their own research topics. The thematic areas covered are: “External Governance, Interregionalism, and Domestic Change”, “Citizenship, Migration, and Identities”, “Social Struggle and Globalization”, and “Democracy at the Crossroads”.

The program is characterized by a varied format comprising lectures, workshops, seminars, and one-to-one consultations. During the summer school, participants will also have the opportunity to present and discuss their own work extensively. Participants will be provided with hands-on advice for their research designs.

The school brings together a faculty of renowned international and Berlin-based scholars. Among the confirmed international lecturers are Donatella della Porta (Scuola Normale Superiore), Steve Fleetwood (University of the West of England, Bristol), Macartan Humphreys (Columbia University/ WZB Berlin), Nikita Dhawan (University of Innsbruck), Staffan Lindberg (University of Gothenburg), and Hendrik Wagenaar (University of Sheffield).

The Berlin Summer School was co-funded by the Berlin Graduate School of Social Sciences (BGSS) at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. Details on the location and tuition fees can be found on our webpage www.berlinsummerschool.de.

The international summer school is open to up to 60 PhD candidates, advanced master students, and young postdocs. The call for applications is currently open. Applications can be submitted online via the application form on the summer school webpage until March 31, 2018.

The decisions of the selection committee will be announced to the applicants in April. If you have any further questions, please contact the organizing team at summerschool.bgss@hu-berlin.de

Using the Panel Component of IPUMS CPS

June 4-6, 2018 at the Minnesota Population Center at the University of Minnesota

IPUMS CPS is accepting applications for its summer workshop, designed to familiarize researchers with the under-utilized panel component of the CPS. The workshop is targeted towards graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career faculty from social science disciplines.

The workshop will include:

• presentations from the research team that developed IPUMS CPS and experienced CPS researchers
• lab sessions with hands-on experience using CPS longitudinally
• small-group sessions to discuss CPS research ideas with others who have similar interests

Applications are due March 2, 2018.

Applicants should submit

• information about their professional backgrounds
• a short statement regarding their interest in using the panel component of CPS
• a letter of support form an advisor or senior colleague

Up to $1,000 in expenses for the workshop will be covered; eligible expenses include domestic air fares, local transportation costs, and hotel accommodations.

Apply to attend the 2018 IPUMS CPS Summer Data Workshop.

A printable flyer with information about the data workshop is also available.

Support for this workshop is provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (R01HD067258).

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The California Department of Finance is seeking qualified candidates to fill a research position in applied demography. The Demographic Research Unit serves as the State of California’s source of official, unbiased demographic data for planning and budgeting, and is the designated statewide liaison with the U.S. Census Bureau. The position is located in Sacramento.

The open position is within the state population estimates group, where the incumbent will participate in the production of state, county, and city population and housing projections. Responsibilities include data collection, modeling, and evaluation of results. The incumbent will design and conduct research projects with minimal supervision, contribute to ongoing research initiatives within the unit, and to keep up with relevant methodological innovations in population projections and in the measurement and modeling of mortality, fertility, and migration.

Experience with software packages for statistical analysis and data visualization are essential. Knowledge of population projection techniques or small area estimation methods is desirable. Individuals with strong analytical writing skills, attention to detail, and a passion for research are encouraged to apply.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
– Postgraduate coursework or completed degree in demography, geography, sociology, economics, or a related field.
– Knowledge of demographic methods and their application.
– Ability to develop and use advanced statistical modeling techniques and appropriate software (e.g. Stata, SAS, R).
– At least two years’ experience in designing and conducting research projects.
– Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate complex issues to non-specialists through writing and speaking.
– Ability to exercise a high degree of initiative and independence of action.
– Ability to work on multiple projects and meet deadlines.
– Ability to develop and maintain effective cooperative working relationships.

The position will be vacant until filled. Applications will be screened as received and interviews will be scheduled on a flow basis.

WHO MAY APPLY
Current state employees at the Research Program Specialist II, those within transfer range, individuals who have list eligibility or eligible for a Training and Development assignment. Please indicate the basis of your eligibility (i.e. SROA, surplus, reemployment, reinstatement, transfer, or list eligible) in the Explanation box of the application. For more information on Minimum Qualifications, please visit the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website: http://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/jobdescriptions.aspx

Follow link below to take the Research Program Specialist II Examination: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/Bulletin.aspx

In order to be considered, you must provide the following:

– Current CV or resume
– Names and contact information of three references
– Writing sample (of any length). Coauthored writing samples should specify the nature of the candidate’s contribution.
– In addition, please provide a brief cover letter (one page) outlining why you are interested in this particular position and how your background, knowledge, skills, and abilities make you the ideal candidate for this position.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JOB: Ethan Sharygin (916) 323-4086 (916) 324-6547 TDD* E-mail: ethan.sharygin@dof.ca.gov

SEND APPLICATION TO: Department of Finance Human Resources Office Attn: Laura Ford 915 L Street, Suite 1235 Sacramento, CA 95814

The Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS) has just launched a new version of our funding blog, which posts both UW-specific funding opportunities and external scholarships/fellowships of interest to graduate/professional students and postdoctoral researchers. This new blog features a menu that will allow users to easily narrow down funding opportunities by academic level, the type of support provided, and citizenship and other eligibility restrictions, as well as an updated appearance.

Check out the new blog here: http://blogs.uw.edu/gfis/

Program Overview

The UW eScience Institute, in collaboration with the Cascadia Urban Analytics Cooperative, is excited to announce its fourth offering of the Data Science for Social Good summer program.

We invite short proposals for 10-week data-intensive research projects (June 11 – August 17) requiring collaboration in scalable data management, statistical analysis and machine learning, open source software development, cloud and cluster computing, and/or visualization.  Accepted projects will be undertaken by a team of four interdisciplinary students and co-led by an external Project Lead identified in the proposal – usually the author(s) – and one or more Data Scientists in the eScience Institute.

We are inviting proposals that have an applied social good dimension and broadly address questions related to social science, human services, public policy, criminal justice, environmental impacts, and urban informatics. We welcome proposals submitted by academic researchers, public agencies, non-profit entities, and industry.

This program is inspired by our Data Science Incubator program as well as similar endeavors at the University of Chicago and Georgia Tech. The projects on those websites and especially the projects from our previous DSSG programs may serve as useful inspiration.

Important Dates

February 25th: Proposal submissions due

March 19th: Short-list notification

June 11: Kickoff meeting

June 11th-Aug 17th – DSSG Program

For more information and proposal submission please visit the link below.

University of Oxford – Department of Sociology

Location: Oxford, UK
Placed on: February 5, 2018
Closes: March 5, 2018

We are seeking an outstanding quantitative researcher to work on the European Research Council funded project FAMSIZEMATTERS Family size matters: How low fertility affects the (re)production of social inequalities, led by Associate Professor Christiaan Monden.

The successful candidate will be expected to engage in advanced independent research within the remit of the project. More specifically, he/she will shape and carry out research on one or more of the following themes: only-children, multi-generational effects, sibling size, childlessness, impact of children’s socioeconomic position on parents, high-fertility sub-populations in low fertility societies, family size, and gender inequality.

The successful candidate will hold or expect to obtain a PhD in sociology, demography, economics, statistics or another relevant discipline. Training and expertise in analysing secondary data, strong quantitative analysis skills are essential. Candidates will be required to show evidence of developing a track record of excellent quality publications in peer-reviewed academic journals.

The post is full-time on a fixed-term contract, for 36 months starting by July 2018.

Applications, including a covering letter, CV and the names of three referees, should be submitted by 12pm on Monday, March 5, 2018.

About the Husky Seed Fund

The Husky Seed Fund is an award that brings to life innovative ideas by students that are inclusive, impactful, and inventive to the UW. The fund launched as a pilot program for students on the Seattle campus in 2016 and is now expanded to also include the Tacoma and Bothell campuses. The fund is managed by students on the Husky Experience Student Advisory Council with funds from the Office of the Provost. Created by students for students, the goal is to bring to life innovative ideas by awarding funds for projects that that will enhance students’ extracurricular experience.

The winners of the Husky Seed Fund are students who are embracing their Husky Experience. They are making their passions come to life, and gaining the skills they need to prepare for rewarding careers in industry, community and life. As you learn more about their projects, we encourage you to do the same – make the most of your Husky Experience.

For questions or more information, contact HESAC members at seedfund@uw.edu, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/huskyseedfund, and read this UW Daily article.

Applying for the Husky Seed Fund

Applications for 2018 are open from February 14 and close on March 12 at 5pm.

Your idea could become reality with a seed funding award of up to $5000. This is your chance to develop leadership and team building while creating something truly unique for your fellow Huskies.

Projects must be Inclusive, Impactful, and Inventive. Overall, HESAC looks for projects that help students feel at home with the UW and engage with the Husky community.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to apply for this program, you (or the group) must be enrolled at either the UW Seattle, Bothell, or Tacoma campus. The applicant(s) must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.5 for each group member, and can be of any discipline, major and class standing (including graduate and professional students).

Award Distribution and Accountability

Projects can request up to $5000 (with an average award amount of $2500). Awardees will be held accountable for their progress. Funds are distributed quarterly and awardees will submit a progress report prior to receiving the funds, giving a summary of their achievements, lessons learned, etc.

Hosted by the UW Libraries Research Commons and Core Programs in the Graduate School, Scholars’ Studio is a quarterly event featuring up to 10 short presentations (5 minutes each) by UW graduate students and postdocs. Each quarter we invite proposals for talks on a theme, in order to encourage the cross-disciplinary sharing of research. The event is fast paced and fun. It includes a Q&A with presenters, and a reception. Presenters receive feedback on their presentations through feedback forms distributed to audience members. Scholars’ Studio is an excellent opportunity for grad students looking to make connections and build presentation skills.

Graduate School Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Trainees

Call for Nominations: Postdoc Mentoring Award 2018!

The Graduate School and the UW Office of Postdoctoral Affairs awards an annual Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Trainees to recognize and honor the tremendous role postdocs play in student research and training at UW. The patience postdocs demonstrate in spending time investing in students, even while advancing their own research and career, is a model of what we would hope to see among mentors. As we heard over and over again in the letters: postdocs serve as mentors who guide, push and inspire students to become their best selves. The Mentoring Award recipient receives an honorarium of $2,000.

NOMINATE A POSTDOC MENTOR

Nomination Process

Has a postdoc made a difference in your life this year? Whether in the lab, in the field, or in the classroom, the Graduate School wants to acknowledge the essential role postdoctoral trainees play in our research and teaching missions here at University of Washington.

The Graduate School is seeking nomination for an exceptional UW postdoctoral trainee who dedicates time, energy and effort to mentoring graduate students. Nomination is simple. Write a nomination letter that gives an example (or many) of how this postdoc has impacted you as a mentor. Submissions should be in a single letter of 250-500 words, and can be submitted by students, postdocs, faculty or staff. Collaborations on letters are welcome, but multiple letters will not be accepted. If multiple letters are submitted, we will ask you to combine them into a single submission (reviewers are examining quality of impact the postdoc has made, not quantity of nominations).

A review committee will select finalists based on mentoring qualities so specific examples are encouraged. Finalists will be announced by April 1 and recognized at end of year ceremonies. The award winner receives $2,000 in discretionary funds.

In posting your nomination, please include the following elements:

• Postdoc fellow’s name saved in the file name
• Department affiliation, along with program or lab group, as relevant
• Descriptive account of how the postdoc has served as a mentor for graduate students in particular, and other mentoring examples as appropriate
• Your relationship to the postdoc (nominations can come from faculty, students, staff and fellow postdocs)

Questions? Contact Associate Dean Kelly Edwards, with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Core Programs in the Graduate School at uwopa@uw.edu.

Timeline for Nomination and Final Announcement

Nomination Process	Timeline
Accepting Nominations	Now–Feb. 28, 2018
Reviewing Nominations	March 1–March 15, 2018
Decision and Announcement	March 15, 2018
Award Ceremony	May 2018