Doctoral Dissertation Research: Population movement, stress, and mortality in urban and rural areas

Change can have significant impacts on population movement and stress. It is still unclear, however, how these changes may differentially affect individuals living in peripheral areas where the effects of social changes can be more variable. This doctoral dissertation project addresses questions about stress, quality of life, and movement of people using demographic and biological data for individuals from different urban and rural settings during periods of social change. The study applies biotechnology methods in the analysis of stable isotopes. The study offers training and educational opportunities for students, as well as public outreach activities, and fosters research collaborations and data sharing. To assess the impact of social changes on early life stress, this study collects data on demographic, stable isotope, and biological stress variables for a large sample of individuals (n=579) from central and peripheral locations during periods of social change. Established and validated macroscopic and biotechnology methods are used to collect and analyze the data. Students participating in this study receive STEM training and acquire skills in a laboratory setting. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.