Short-Term Research Assistant Service

MPC members can apply to use the services of a 10-hour per week graduate research assistant for a short period of time (up to 40 hours). Priority is given to projects that (a) have a population studies focus, broadly construed; (b) can quickly result in a publication and/or grant proposal; (c) can clearly benefit from short-term research assistance; and (d) do not already have external funding. Preference will be given to junior faculty.

To apply for this service, please send an email to mpctrain@umn.edu and include the following information:

  1. Your name and departmental affiliation

  2. Details about your project: A title and a short (~2 paragraph) description of the overall project's goals and activities

  3. Information about the product that will result (e.g., a publication, a grant proposal, a conference presentation) and when that product will be produced

  4. A statement about current external funding support for the project

  5. A description of the specific activities the research assistant would do and (if not obvious) how they fit into the overall project

  6. The number of weeks the research assistant's services would be needed (at 10 hours per week) and a proposed starting date

Spring and Summer 2020 short-term RA will be MPC Population Studies Trainee Chris Robertson. 

Chris's Skills and Experiences:

Statistical Packages: Competent in SPSS and STATA. Beginning knowledge of R.

Methods: Has used / been trained in a variety of analytic methods, including regression (linear, logistic, event history analysis, and structural equation modeling).  Proficient in Excel and constructing literature reviews. He has received formal theoretical instruction that should help in understanding the methods. Additionally, by way of his instruction as a Population Studies Trainee, he's been introduced to a variety of methods for population modelling.