2008 WLS Pilot Grant Program
The Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will award two to three pilot grants to investigators using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) data for scholarly research. Selected recipients will receive $10,000 to support their research, along with a residency at CDHA, where they will receive training and support in use of WLS data. The residency will take place in Madison on August 7th and 8th, 2008. Grant recipients will be invited back to CDHA to present their work in August of 2009. Authors will be encouraged to publish their work in any appropriate outlet.
The WLS is a long-term study of a random sample of 10,317 men and women who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957 and of their siblings, spouses, and children. The WLS provides an opportunity to study the life course, careers, retirement, intergenerational transfers and relationships, family functioning, physical and mental health and well-being, and morbidity and mortality from late adolescence to the retirement years.
Survey data were collected from the original respondents or their parents in 1957, 1964, 1975, 1993, and 2004 and from a selected sibling in 1977, 1994, and 2005. The most recent wave of data includes interviews of the graduate’s siblings and spouse and surviving spouses of deceased graduates. The data include information on social background, youthful aspirations, schooling, military service, family formation, labor market experiences, health, and social participation. All rounds of the WLS are available to all scholars regardless of whether they are awarded a pilot grant. Grant recipients have the extra benefit of intense training on using the WLS data.
Eligibility: Applications are welcomed from investigators in such diverse fields as anthropology, demography, economics, epidemiology, family studies, genetics, gerontology, human development, medicine, nursing, psychology, public health, and sociology. Applicants must have a doctoral-level degree. This grant program is intended to support new users and new uses of WLS data. We encourage applications from junior researchers (i.e., with fewer than five years since completing their doctoral- level degree) as well as more experienced researchers who have not previously used WLS data. Applicants must be affiliated with either educational institutions or with 501(c) (3) nonprofit organizations. Expenses for travel to Madison for the August 7th and 8th workshop will be covered in addition to the $10,000 grant. Grant money may be used for investigators’ salary or research support. Since these awards are by nature small, we are setting a limit of 10% for any indirect costs being paid to other institutions. Payment of indirect costs will not increase the size of the total award. Therefore, it is our preference that institutions waive indirect costs altogether in order to maximize the funds available to successful applicants. If a waiver is not possible the 10% maximum will apply to all awardees.
The deadline for application is May 27, 2008. Recipients will be notified in early July, 2008. To apply submit a research proposal (5 page maximum) and a CV either electronically (preferred) or printed to:
Carol Roan Center for Demography of Health and Aging University of Wisconsin-Madison 1180 Observatory Drive, Room 4430 Madison, Wisconsin 53706 roan@ssc.wisc.edu
More information about the WLS and the pilot grant program including questionnaires, codebooks and public data may be found at the WLS pilot grant website: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/wlsresearch/pilot. Please contact Carol Roan by e-mail roan@ssc.wisc.edu or by telephone (608) 265-6196 if you have further questions.