From the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD):
1st Annual Summer Data Immersion program
Ann Arbor, Michigan: June 10-13, 2019
Applications are open for the 1st annual Summer Data Immersion program hosted by the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD), to be held June 10-13, 2019 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.
MCCFAD is an NIH/NIA-funded Alzheimer’s disease focused Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (AD-RCMAR) that seeks to address disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) through research findings, mentorship, community links, and increasing the number of behavioral and social scientists from underrepresented backgrounds. The Summer Data Immersion program provides hands-on training in the use of publicly available data resources to address important research questions relevant to ADRD. The theme of the 2019 program will be “Modeling Cognitive Aging in Context,” in line with MCCFAD’s focus on contextual factors. Datasets to be used are the US-based Health and Retirement Study (HRS), including the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP), and the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS).
The program will include lectures about large, representative studies of cognitive aging by the very researchers who design and administer them at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. Training will also be provided in advanced analytic techniques to model cognitive aging in largescale, longitudinal studies. This foundation will inform workgroups that will perform analyses on existing datasets to examine contextual factors in cognitive aging. An important aspect of the program is an emphasis on small group collaboration to initiate and pursue publications that advance research on contextual factors in cognitive aging and foster the development of new research networks.
There is a competitive application process for the selection of attendees. Space limits the number of participants for whom we will be able to provide financial support for travel, lodging, and meals. Applications are encouraged from all levels (graduate students, post-docs, junior faculty, mid and senior faculty). Expertise in statistics or ADRD is not a prerequisite, and we value participation from quantitatively-minded individuals who seek to expand their research focus to ADRD and/or ADRD researchers interested in advancing their skills in largescale data analysis. We aim to include scholars with diverse research experiences from a variety of disciplines (e.g., neuropsychology, epidemiology, sociology) to promote peer learning of new skills that will be incorporated into attendees’ future research.
Applications are due March 15, 2019, and notification of acceptance will occur by April 5, 2019.
Interested individuals should complete the application and upload a CV/Biosketch using the following link: 2019 Summer Data Immersion Application. Completed applications with CV/Biosketch should be submitted by March 15, 2019. Please contact mccfad.isr@umich.edu with any questions.
We hope to see you this summer!
Toni Antonucci & Laura Zahodne, MCCFAD Research and Education Core
Richard Gonzalez, Noah Webster, & Laura Zahodne, MCCFAD Analytic Core
Kristine Ajrouch, Toni Antonucci, & Laura Zahodne, MCCFAD Directors
