NextGenPop: Recruiting the Next Generation of Scholars into Population Research

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ABSTRACT Informed by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development mission “to ensure the health, productivity, independence, and well-being of all people,” demographic research provides key insights into the population processes that shape health and well-being. Students trained in population science are well-equipped to pursue careers across academic, government, and applied research settings and contribute to advancements in human health and development. There remains, however, a striking lack of racial and ethnic diversity among our PhD programs, researchers, and professional associations that limits the potential of the field. We propose to address this critical challenge with a research education program, NextGenPop, that draws undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds into population science. This is important both for providing opportunities to students who have been historically marginalized and for generating a body of demographic knowledge that fully reflects the diversity of human populations today. Our proposed program will use the pressing growth of inequality as a lens for studying population composition and change, and our training approach will be structured to support the learning and career advancement of diverse students. It is a collaborative initiative across five universities and will be coordinated by the Population Association of America, guided by an external Advisory Committee and regional partners, and supported by a consortium of population centers within the Association of Population Centers. The broad aim of NextGenPop is to significantly increase the pipeline of scholars from underrepresented backgrounds entering the field of population science. It has three specific aims: Aim 1) to introduce advanced undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds to foundational demographic concepts and tools; Aim 2) to integrate students’ training in research and professional development; Aim 3) to foster ongoing engagement of program participants in population research and allied fields. These specific aims will be met through an intensive nine-day summer residential program and an infrastructure for ongoing engagement of program participants. The summer program will be hosted in turn by Wisconsin, Cornell, Duke, UC-Irvine, and Minnesota. It will be governed by a strong central coordinating core and share a common curriculum. Unique signature themes each summer will leverage key research strengths of individual population centers. NextGenPop has extensive institutional commitments from its host institutions, other key contributors in the population profession, and wide-ranging organizations that serve underrepresented students. It promises to have significant and sustained impact on the population field by broadening the pipeline and ultimately expanding the kinds of questions, tools, and conceptual frameworks engaged to advance the science, providing a richer perspective on human health, well-being and development.