Skip to content

Daniel Montaño Researches Motivation Behind Male Circumcision in Zimbabwe

Daniel Montaño, CSDE Affiliate and Research Professor of Family and Child Nursing at UW, recently published a study examining the rationale behind infant male circumcision (IMC) in Zimbabwe. The project surveyed a wide variety of urban and rural families, then used statistical analysis to draw connections and identify motivations behind the practice’s adoption. Thanks to these findings, health professionals will be able to more effectively message IMC services to local populations as new programs are rolled out.

You can read the full text of the study below.

William Zumeta Featured in Yakima Herald’s Discussion of Education Options

William Zumeta, CSDE Affiliate and Professor of Public Policy at UW, was recently featured as part of the Yakima Herald‘s discussion of four-year colleges and other options for higher education. He observes that four-year degrees, while standard, aren’t suited for everyone–technical school, post-secondary training, and other educational alternatives may be better choices for some when it comes to landing desired work after graduation. You can read the full article below.

Phyllis Fletcher Named Editor of the Year by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated

Phyllis Fletcher, former CSDE Trainee and managing editor at Northwest News Network, was recently selected as the inaugural recipient of PRNDI’s “Editor of the Year” award.

“Phyllis Fletcher is one of the finest editors working in public media today,” says PRNDI President Terry Gildea. “Her positive influence on the many reporters she has worked with is evident in the work they have produced.”

While working on her Training Certificate with CSDE, Phyllis obtained a Master of Communications from UW. Her final project designed a radio series about nearby school districts hit hardest by the recession, and she analyzed one-year American Community Survey estimates to find the school districts and develop the stories. The statistical analysis techniques and global perspectives she refined during the Demographic Methods Certificate Program are sure to have helped prime her storytelling success outside the university. Congratulations, Phyllis!

You can learn more about CSDE’s Certificate Program here.

Postdoctoral Position in LGBT Policy Studies

The Vanderbilt LGBT Policy Lab seeks a postdoctoral scholar in LGBT Policy Studies (broadly defined).   The ideal candidate is an empirical social scientist who has an interest in studying the causes and consequences of LGBT‐related public policies (e.g., same‐sex marriage, non‐discrimination laws, ‘bathroom bills’, religious freedom restoration acts, and others) on a range of social, economic, political, health, education, and demographic outcomes.  Experience with programming in advanced statistical packages (e.g., STATA, SAS, and/or R) and handling large datasets is required.  A PhD (or equivalent) in anthropology, demography, economics, education, health services research, law/jurisprudence, LGBT studies, political science, public health, public policy, sociology, or a related field is required.

Responsibilities include:

  1. Carrying out an active research program focusing on LGBT policies and populations.
  2. Developing a course on LGBT policies and advocacy to be co‐taught with a Vanderbilt faculty member in Spring 2019.  [Note there are no teaching requirements in AY 2017‐18 for this  position.]
  3. Coordinating a monthly colloquium series on LGBT policies and populations.
  4. Coordinating a national academic conference to be held at Vanderbilt in Spring 2019.
  5. Serving as a liaison to campus and community leaders on LGBT policy topics.

With funding from a Vanderbilt Trans‐Institutional Programs Award (http://vanderbilt.edu/strategicplan/trans‐institutional‐programs/tipshome.php), the LGBT Policy Lab brings together Vanderbilt experts from multiple units including: economics; education; divinity; health  policy; law; medicine; MHS; political science; religious studies; and sociology.  The postdoc would work  closely with the PI (Kitt Carpenter) and related faculty.

The one‐year fellowship can begin as soon as 7/1/17, with an initial end date of 6/30/2018, and carries the possibility of a one‐year renewal.  The position carries a twelve‐month salary of $55,000, a $5,000 research fund, office space, health insurance, and eligibility for other benefits (https://gradschool.vanderbilt.edu/postdoctoral/postdoctoral-scholars/benefits.php).  This in‐residence  position requires a physical presence in Nashville for the term of the fellowship.

Applicants should send a single .pdf that includes a cover letter, CV, writing sample, and the contact  information for three references to Kitt Carpenter at: christopher.s.carpenter@vanderbilt.edu.  Applications will be reviewed immediately.

Ideally we would secure a candidate to begin on 7/1/2017, but we can allow some flexibility on the start date.  Please distribute this call widely to any parties you think might have interest (or know someone  who does).  Interested parties can contact Kitt Carpenter for more information or with questions about the position.  A small committee will do skype interviews with suitable candidates beginning immediately.

Graduate Staff Assistant – Office of International Student Services

International Student Services and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions have an outstanding opportunity for a part-time, temporary Graduate Staff Assistant to work for 3 quarters, from September 16, 2017 – June 15, 2018. This position offers a valuable, hands-on opportunity to learn about and assist international students through the academic cycle from initial inquiry to graduation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Within Admissions:
• Read and evaluate admission applications, considering both academic and personal factors
• Answer a variety of questions about international undergraduate admissions, requirements, orientation programs, registering for classes, housing, student support services, and student life at the UW through email correspondence and other outreach activities
• Assist with data entry and I-20 processing for newly admitted undergraduate international students

Within ISS:
• Serve as an international student adviser for undergraduate and graduate students
• Provide excellent student service for callers and drop-ins at the reception desk
• Advise students one-on-one and respond to email and phone requests
• Maintain both paper and electronic student immigration files
• Review benefit applications including program extension, change of status, and employment
• Refer students to appropriate campus resources
• Refer students with complex cases to staff advisers
• Deliver informational workshops to small groups
• Assist departments with basic regulatory information
• Perform project work as requested
• Participate in orientation sessions for new international students

Demographic Research Program Specialist – State of California

We’re looking for researchers to join our team of applied demographers with the State of California Department of Finance.

If you’re interested in population growth, poverty, birth trends, aging, crunching data, and building visualizations to investigate and communicate your insights on these subjects, then I’d encourage you to consider sending in an application. We’re aiming to recruit someone with postgraduate experience, such as a recently completed PhD or MA with a few years of relevant work. More important than your credentials is your drive to produce excellent social science. The ideal candidate will have strong familiarity with statistical software and interest in working on population estimates and projections.

Our work frequently branches across agencies to inform budget and policy decisions. There’s a lot of room to be creative here and rewards for taking initiative. We have great datasets and a lot less red tape than you’d expect. We are eager to bring in people with new ideas and to rethink the way that we present our results in print and online.

We’re an hour from the SF Bay, 90 minutes from wine country, and two hours from the Sierras. Rents are reasonable in the Sacramento area and there’s a lot to do in the city and environs. This is a full time job with excellent work/life balance: use it as a springboard while building your skills, or stay and make a career.

Interested? The application is online at http://www.dof.ca.gov/About_Us/Careers/Career_Opportunities/ (look for “Research Specialist II”). Further details about eligibility and the application process are available there. The recruitment is open until June 21. We’re happy to address any questions about the jobs by email at ficalpop@dof.ca.gov.

Racial Ecologies Conference

The Racial Ecologies conference, organized by UW’s Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity, will bring scholars from across the country together with locally based scholars and activists to exchange information and inspiration. Drawing from multiple disciplines, the conference will focus on collaborative research, on the unequal impact of environmental degradation, and on the work of communities of color to address those impacts. The conference is free and open to the public.

We encourage you to donate non-perishable food items to the UW Campus Pantry serving UW students. The conference location (ECC) is a collection and distribution site.

Call for Papers: Integrating Public Health and Criminal Justice Reform

On Sunday, October 29th through Wednesday November 1st 2017, the International Community Corrections Association conference will feature commissioned plenary presentations as well as workshop presentations.

You are invited to submit an abstract for a conference workshop. Special consideration will be given to submissions that reflect the conference theme and topics listed below. We will also give consideration to presentations that are:

  • Innovative and integrative – demonstrating the intersection of promising practices with evidence-based research.
  • Cross disciplinary (emerging outside of corrections with implications for practice with justice-involved males and females)

Doing What Matters: Integrating Public Health and Criminal Justice Reforms

Track 1: Addressing Opiate Use Disorder to Improve Public Safety and Public Health
Research Co-Chair: Dr. Caleb Banta-Green, University of Washington Drug & Alcohol Institute

Track 2: Strengthening Employment and Housing Supports to Improve Reentry Outcomes
Research Co-Chair: Dr. David Connor, Seattle University Dept. of Criminal Justice

Track 3: Understanding and Preventing the Criminalization of Mental Illness

Workshops are typically 90 minutes in length. The format may be lecture, panel presentation, or interactive. Workshops offering strong elements of both research and practice may opt for conducting two consecutive 90 minute workshops for a total of three hours in length.

Big Data for Gender Challenge

Data2X is pleased to announce a Big Data for Gender Challenge. Through this Challenge, we seek to catalyze innovative solutions to fill global gender data gaps on the well-being of women and girls.

Applicants may submit proposals for prizes of $100,000 or $50,000. Current doctoral students may apply for a $25,000 dissertation grant.

Research proposals will be accepted in two categories:

1) Projects using a combination of digital and conventional data sources to conduct gender analysis on a specific research question.

2) Projects that build practical tools to monitor the well-being of women and girls over time.

Project concept notes not exceeding 5 pages in length (excluding any supplementary materials) should be submitted by July 7, 2017.

Our report, Big Data and the Well-Being of Women and Girls, summarizes our research in this area to date.

End-of-Year Reception

This Friday, we’ll be celebrating the end of the academic year and CSDE’s successful NIH Center Grant (P2C). We’ll also be presenting Demographic Methods Certificates. Please join us in recognizing all of these accomplishments! Every member of the CSDE community plays an important role in our broader research network and training program. There will be refreshments and a very brief program starting at 12:45 PM.

These students will be receiving their certificates:

  • Michael Babb, Geography
  • Christopher Cambron, Social Work
  • Erin Carll, Sociology
  • Nikki Eller, Health Services
  • Xinguang Fan, Sociology
  • Andrew Jopson, Health Services
  • Savannah Larimore, Sociology
  • Christine Leibbrand, Sociology
  • Jonathan Muir, Sociology
  • Michelle O’Brien, Sociology
  • Victoria Sass, Sociology
  • María Vignau Loria, Sociology