Under the leadership of M. Giovanna Merli, DUPRI Associate Director and Director for Duke Populating Research Center (DPRC), DUPRI is partnering with the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) through a new, three-year doctoral program that merges demography, epidemiology and data science.
The International Max Planck Research School for Population, Health and Data Science (IMPRS-PHDS) aims at training the next generation of population scientists by providing training in the materials and methods of demography and population health combined with advanced skills in statistics, mathematical modeling, and data science. The school is hosted by two core partners, the MPIDR and the University of Rostock, in partnership with ten affiliated institutions worldwide that have complementary strengths. In addition to Duke, other partner universities include the University of Greifswald, the University of Groningen/NIDI, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, the University of Helsinki, Oxford University, the University of St. Andrews, Stockholm University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Washington.
The IMPRS-PHDS curriculum is designed for pre-doctoral students entering the school with a Master’s or equivalent degree. Each year, the PHDS program will admit approximately a total of 20 doctoral students. About half will reside in Rostock and the other half in affiliated partner institutions. The students will have access to advanced coursework, mentoring guided by an interdisciplinary team of faculty members, and mechanisms for exchange and professional development for both students and scholars across the participating institutions.
In addition to Merli, DUPRI faculty engaged in the program include Scott M. Lynch, Professor in the Department of Sociology; and James Moody, Robert O. Keohane Professor of Sociology.
Liann Tucker, Duke predoctoral student in the Department of Sociology whose research focuses on adolescents’ friendships and health, joined the IPHDS program in its inaugural year. Merli and Tucker attended the first annual meeting in Rostock in November 2019, where the first cohort of students presented their research plans in their focus areas. Merli notes, “a wide range of topics were presented including numerous analyses of European household registration and longitudinal survey data. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm. The program is well structured and the organizers have a serious dedication and the resources to see it succeed. This is a good opportunity for DUPRI students. We are planning to actively promote the program each year, identify students who may benefit from it and encourage them to apply.”
For additional information about the IPHDS program, contact M. Giovanna Merli.
2021 Call for IMPRS-PHDS 2021 Application. Applications due July 15, 2021