The Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC) at Brown University, formally established in 1965, is an internationally respected demography research and training center offering an outstanding interdisciplinary graduate training program. Research interests include social demography, economic demography, anthropological demography, and population health.
Recent News
Dennis Hogan, Professor of Sociology, recently published his book, Family Consequences of Children’s Disabilities, which offers the first comprehensive account of families of children with disabilities. In this interview, he talks about his findings, including some of the more surprising ways having a child with a disability can affect the family structure.
Bernard Onyango, Sociology graduate student and PSTC trainee, was accepted into the Population Reference Bureau’s (PRB’s) 2012-2013 Policy Communication Fellows program. As a PRB Fellow, Onyango will attend a two-week workshop in Washington, DC this summer, during which he will learn how research can be used to influence policy development. During the 2012-2013 academic year, Onyango will be asked to apply the lessons learned at the Washington workshop and to prepare written and oral presentations for policy audiences, based on his dissertation or other research. He will also have the opportunity to present his findings at a special workshop held prior to the 2013 Population Association of America (PAA) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.
How many population scientists are among the faculty at Brown? Who are they? What do population scientists do anyway? Does somebody have a data set that might help you with your research? To help you and others answer these questions and more, PSTC is pleased to sponsor the first annual Population Sciences Research Day on May 10, 2012 in Petteruti Lounge that will feature a poster session from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm. All are welcome to attend the poster session.
For those interested in presenting a poster that features research relevant to population studies, broadly defined, see the Call for Posters for more information. The due date for poster submissions is April 15, 2012 by 5 pm.
PSTC Associate Margot Jackson, Assistant Professor of Sociology, receives a New Scholars Grant from Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality to examine whether children's exposure to nutritional programs has remained steady or increased as need has increased during the Great Recession. Read the announcement for more information.
PSTC recently created a Facebook page to share news, events and other important information online. Like us on Facebook.
PSTC Alumna Sela Panapasa, Assistant Research Scientist at the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, received a 2011 Health Disparities Research Leadership Award for her contributions to improving Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander health. Her research examines the role socio-demographic change plays in the health and well-being of island populations across the life course. Congratulations, Sela!
A new study conducted by Susan Short, Professor of Sociology, and Hongwei Xu, a former PSTC trainee, of health insurance in nine Chinese provinces shows that individual coverage surged within a two-year time frame, from 2004-2006. The findings coincide with new government interventions designed to improve access to health care. The changes were most dramatic in rural areas. See the Brown press release for more information or the article in China Daily.
When the world population reached 7 billion on October 31, 2011, PSTC Associate Director Leah VanWey discussed the consequences of this population boom with Deborah Baum. When asked if the planet can support this much humanity, social demographer VanWey said she was optimistic. Click here to read the interview. We now host Afternoon Tea (and Cookies) at PSTC every Monday at 3 pm in the Mencoff Hall foyer. Please join us!
The PSTC now has a page on Facebook! You can join the group by clicking here
