Population Dynamics Research Center

OVERALL: PROJECT SUMMARY The goal under a new P2C award is for the Population Studies Center (PSC) at the U. of Pennsylvania to remain a national and world leader in research on the dynamic structure, organization, and health and well- being of human populations. Established in 1962, the PSC is characterized by strong continuity in the production of high-quality research on the major themes of the Population Dynamics Branch (PDB): demography, population-based studies of health and human development, and behavioral and social science approaches to sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive health. The PSC will make substantive contributions in five primary research areas (PRAs): (1) New Dynamics of Population Diversity, including racial/ethnic composition, internal and international migration, and urbanization, (2) Formal Demography and Demographic Methods, including fertility and reproductive health, and mortality, (3) Child Development and Human Endowments, (4) Structures of Inequality and the Life Course, including changing mechanisms of social mobility, and (5) Population and the Environment, addressing both the demographic causes and consequences of environmental change. We will develop and promote emerging innovative research perspectives and approaches within and across our PRAs. We will also increase competitiveness for external funding in population dynamics research through intellectual exchange, partnership and outreach, and a seed grant award program to support research innovation. A central aim of the PSC is to develop, mentor, and promote emerging scientific, intellectual, and professional leaders in the field of population studies through the effective use of PSC support, resources, and expertise directed to early career scientists.