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Winter Graduate Resources

Visit the link below for a variety of funding, employment, and training opportunities open to graduate students across UW campus.

Call for Papers: Conference on Irregular Migrants, Refugees and Victims of Human Trafficking

Migration, displacement and human trafficking have become staples of headline news. Reactions range – and sometimes change – from outrage over abuse and sympathy for individuals and groups seen as victims, to open hostility towards those perceived as alien intruders or threats to security, political, cultural and business interests.

Where international instruments of varying age and origin provide a set of at times overlapping categorizations, policy-makers and public discourse often look for clear classifications and impose mutually exclusive labels on groups and individuals, whose circumstances are complex, diverse and not always well understood. Such categorical overlaps, however, may be exploited at the expense of the individuals concerned. It is hardly surprising then that persons caught in this legal and conceptual web prove at times wary of the labels offered to or imposed upon them.

Further, aid agencies and organizations working in the areas of migration, displacement, and human trafficking cannot avoid the contest over categorizations and classifications either. Legal definitions help shape opportunities for and conditions of assistance while public perceptions associated with different terms impact on available funds. Donors of aid programs expect accountability, which requires clear classifications of those provided with assistance. But actual needs for assistance may cut across rigid differentiations between economic migrants, refugees or victims of human-trafficking.

Finally, in receiving communities these people may face hostility because they are seen as illegal migrants, economic refugees, or queue jumpers.

The response to migration, displacement, and human trafficking is thus in part contingent upon conceptual schemes and classifications and at the same time impacts upon them. It is this interdependence and the challenges resulting from it that are the focus of the workshop. We invite

  • conceptual studies,
  • reports on empirical research,
  • and reflection papers by practitioners

in the areas of migration, displacement, human-trafficking and related forms of exploitation in the wider Southeast Asian region.

Papers may address, but are not limited to, the following questions:

  • How do individuals respond to labels such as migrant, refugee, victim of human trafficking or slave applied or available to them? What motivates these responses?
  • How and to what extent can individuals assert their own agency and express their own views of their circumstances in the face of categorizations and classifications by public discourse, state authorities, or aid agencies?
  • How are public perceptions shaped and articulated in relation to these labels?
  • How are government and non-government service providers impacted by such categories in their ability and willingness to extend services to different populations?
  • To what extent, and in what ways, are advocacy and assistance efforts shaped, enhanced or limited by categories in international and national law, or the labels – and changes therein – dominant in public discourse?
  • How do problems of, and contests over, classifications impact the compilation of data on migration, displacement, human trafficking and related forms of exploitation?

Proposals including paper abstracts (c. 200 to 400 words) and the CVs of presenters are due by 31 March 2017.

Call for Papers: Workshop on Climate, Migration, and Health, with Focus on Refugee Movements

With support from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, the Institute of Behavioral Science, the University of Colorado Population Center (CUPC), and the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP), are hosting the 3rd annual workshop on Climate, Migration and Health.  This year’s sub-theme is focused on refugee movements.

The two-day workshop, held at the University of Colorado Population Center, in Boulder, Colorado, will bring together approximately 10 researchers and policy communicators to discuss, and move forward, research on this important intersection.

Key is that researchers need only possess expertise in at least one aspect of the workshop.  We aim to introduce scholars of migration-climate, to scholars of climate-health, and refugee scholars to each!

Applicants must have a current research project related to the workshop theme.  We will spend much of the workshop brainstorming about knowledge gaps and beginning papers/proposals designed to fill those gaps.

Researchers from social and natural sciences are encouraged to apply.

Funds are available for partial reimbursement only for domestic travel (within the United States) and lodging.

Applicants must be post-PhD and we aim for an interdisciplinary mix of junior and senior scholars.

To be considered for this workshop, please send a CV and a complete paper, working draft, or an extended abstract (including data description, methods, and preliminary results) by March 17th 2017.  Decisions will be made by March 24th.

Senior Population Forecast Analyst

This is an immediate opening for a population projection and estimate analyst with applied experience in state and local demography. The ideal candidate will have experience using advanced demographic techniques to develop databases and models and in independently conducting research to support statutorily required estimates and forecasts. The Population Unit operation focuses on team work and cross training. This position will be part of certain team(s) that produces a variety of estimates and forecasts with the emphasis on OFM’s official population estimates, state and county total population and characteristics forecasts, and small area population and demographic estimates. The ideal candidate will have SAS and/or GIS skills and be able to lead and participate in coding complex demographic models. The following duties also may be considered for this position with internal adjustment of responsibilities: guide efforts to help the public and state and local governments to properly use federal census and survey data; conduct senior-level demographic research needed by the OFM Director, Governor and Legislature to support budget and policy development; and work closely with the Senior Forecast Manager in the development of population estimates and forecasts by race and ethnicity. This position has certain lead responsibilities within OFM, as well as with other local, state and federal agencies, in coordinating data acquisition, method development and evaluation in population programs.

2nd International ZIKA Conference and Workshop

Each day of the conference will offer papers on a wide range of topics including:

  • Travel-Related Cases
  • Elimination of Breeding Site
  • Culturally Diverse Populations
  • Preparing Community Strategies
  • Local Partnership and Participation
  • Current Outbreak of Zika Virus Infection
  • Prevention Education Efforts and Risk Communication
  • Traveling to a Region with Ongoing Zika Virus Transmission
  • Emergency Response and Hospital/Healthcare Coordination
  • Recommended Surveillance and Response Actions for Local Agencies Including Vector Control Agencies and Health Departments

Panel Discussions include:

  • Diagnostic Platforms
  • Health Department Response
  • Mosquito response in Louisiana
  • Community Strategies/Partnership
  • Mitigating Public Health Vulnerabilities
  • Mosquito Vector Surveillance and Control
  • Clinical Picture: Country Report & Outbreaks Update
  • Zika Virus Prevention, Community Engagement and Cultural Equity
  • Community Mosquito Control Methods, Shortcomings & options
  • Defending Susceptible Communities from Spread of Arbo Viruses
  • Establishment and Implementation of A Scalable Vectorborne Disease Response Plan at the Local Level

Over 20 breakout sessions will be offered addressing a wide range of issues, including:

  • Breakout: Zika & Politics
  • Breakout: Diagnostic Platforms
  • Breakout: Dengue fever, Hawaii
  • Breakout: Zika Virus, Locally Acquired
  • Breakout: Health department Response
  • Breakout: Zika Virus, Travel-Associated Cases
  • Breakout: Living With Imported Cases of Zika
  • Breakout: How to reach out to Latino Communities
  • Breakout: Learn Message Tools, Skills and Mapping
  • Breakout: Locally acquired Dengue–Key West, Florida
  • Breakout: Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN)
  • Breakout: Contingency Planning for local transmission at local level
  • Breakout: How the do cities combat the Zika Virus?
  • Breakout: Perspectives on Zika and Other Emerging/Re-emerging Infections
  • Breakout: Defending Susceptible Communities from Spread of Arbo Viruses
  • Breakout: Chikungunya, Dengue, Yellow Fever & Zika Comparison of Signs & Symptom
  • Breakout: The role of local health departments public health preparedness program
  • Breakout: Recommended Surveillance and Response Actions for Local Agencies Including Vector Control Agencies and Health Departments
  • Breakout: Emerging/Re-emerging pathogens (ZIKV, MERS-CoV, Flu, etc.)  case for strengthening collaboration on global health security

Workshops include:

  • Learn How To Plan
  • Know How To Respond
  • Learn Message Tools, Skills & Mapping
  • Learn Message development strategies.
  • How To Harness The Power Of Social Media
  • Develop Effective Risk And Crisis Communication Plan
  • How To Work Effectively With News Media & Journalists
  • Make everyone a stakeholder. Spell out roles and responsibilities
  • Crafting Risk and Crisis Messages & Best Practices across Risk Phases
  • Develop strategies needed to enhance believability, trust, and credibility
  • Establish social media best practices for communications with the public during an outbreak

Data on Race and Ethnicity Published in Second Federal Register Notice

The Federal Interagency Working Group for Revision of the Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity’s second Federal Register Notice (FRN) has been published.  The FRN is available below and is open for public comment for 60 days.  Comments must be provided in writing to OMB.  Comments are encouraged to be sent via email to Race-Ethnicity@omb.eop.gov. Other methods of communicating questions and comments are contained in the FRN.

Call for Papers: European Network for the Sociological and Demographic Study of Divorce

The Research Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (CLLS) will be hosting the 15th  Meeting of theEuropean Network for the Sociological and Demographic Study of Divorce. The conference will take place in Antwerp, Belgium on 5th-7th October.

The conference organizers invite papers on the causes, procedures and consequences of union dissolution. We encourage research from sociological, psychological, economic, demographic, legal and other perspectives on these topics. Both theoretical and empirical papers are welcome. The format of the conference will be similar to previous meetings with regular paper sessions and plenty of time for discussion.

The conference will start on the morning of the 5th, and ends on the afternoon of the 7th. The conference venue is located in the heart of Antwerp, close to public transport and hotels. There is no conference fee. Participants will cover their own travel and lodging expenses.

Please submit your abstract (300 words) via the conference website by 1st May. Abstracts will be evaluated, and notifications sent out by the end of May. Full papers should be uploaded at least three weeks before the meeting.

LIS 528 A – Health Science Information Needs, Resources, and Environment

  • Instructor: Ann Gleason
  • 3 credits, standard grading
  • Online

This course explores the characteristics of users of health sciences information; health professionals, researchers, consumers and patients; environments (academic health sciences centers, hospitals, clinics, and public libraries); evaluation of information resources in health care; types and uses of health information management systems; policy issues, professional standards, education, and certification. Offered jointly with BIME 570.

Donald Chi Discusses Impact of Dental Care on Population Health

Donald Chi, CSDE Affiliate and Associate Professor of Dentistry at UW, recently wrote an editorial for the Washington Post discussing the importance of dental care in overall population health. Chi outlines the medical importance of regular, thorough dental check-ins and treatments and makes a strong case for their continued coverage in proposed healthcare plans. You can read the full article below.

Charles Hirschman Explores the Economic Impact of Immigration

CSDE Affiliate and UW Professor of Sociology Charles Hirschman joined other researchers and officials in studying how immigration impacts the US economy. The resulting National Academy of Sciences report, The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration, sheds light on the gap between perceived and actual costs of immigrants. The panel’s work has spread throughout media channels in the wake of recent political debates over immigration reform–the New York Times weighs in on the findings with this opinion piece, while UW itself is spotlighting its researchers’ contributions to the panel here. You can read the full study below.