Minnesota Population Center

OVERALL: SUMMARY The Minnesota Population Center (MPC) is a University-wide interdisciplinary cooperative for demographic research at the University of Minnesota. MPC develops and supports innovative, high-quality, and transformative interdisciplinary population dynamics research projects by (1) creating, sustaining, and expanding an intellectual community of interdisciplinary population researchers; (2) helping researchers to develop, fund, and execute cutting-edge population research projects; (3) formally and informally training the next generation of interdisciplinary population researchers; (4) providing outstanding administrative and technical support for population research and training; (5) effectively and efficiently disseminating and communicating research findings and their implications to diverse stakeholders and audiences; and (6) responding to and engaging with local, state, national, and international research partners and communities. MPC’s Administrative, Development, and Scientific/Technical Core services and resources allow MPC members—especially new and early stage investigators—to make efficient use of their funding for population dynamics research from NICHD, NIH more broadly, and other funders. Our members include 65 faculty and research scientists from seven colleges/schools and 13 departments at the University of Minnesota. In addition, we serve many population dynamics researchers at institutions across the country and globally. Their work is concentrated in MPC’s five primary research areas: (1) Population Health and Health Systems; (2) Spatial and Environmental Demography; (3) Reproductive Health; (4) Work, Family, and Time; and (5) Structural Racism and Health Inequities. This application for continued support has three Specific Aims: (1) Enhance and expand MPC’s vibrant and productive intellectual environment; (2) Provide efficient end-to-end support for population dynamics research projects; and (3) Invest in the next generation of population dynamics researchers. MPC has become one of the largest and most influential population research centers in the world. The Center currently has the largest portfolio of NICHD/PDB research grants among P2C-supported centers. Between 2015 and 2019, MPC was among the top P2C centers with respect to publications appearing in Demography, the leading journal of the field. MPC members’ data infrastructure projects provide the global research community with free access to the world’s largest sources of population data. At the same time, MPC members’ substantive research is leading and transforming the fields of population dynamics and health research, providing the scientific foundations for best practices in public health and public policy in the U.S. and around the world.