NextGenPop: Recruiting the Next Generation of Scholars into Population Research

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.

Grant Number: 5R25HD105602-05
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Marcia Carlson