Weekly News, August 25, 2025

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We are pleased to share the good news that the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA) has now renewed funding for UC Berkeley’s CEDA Center on the Economics and Demography of Aging for another expected 6 year cycle. This is in recognition of the highly innovative and impactful aging research that CEDA affiliates have been conducting; CEDA looks forward to supporting new pathbreaking research in the coming years. Soon we will issue a new call for CEDA pilots; meantime please feel free to reach out to CEDA Director Will Dow if you have ideas for how CEDA may be able to support your research on aging.

Our first Brownbag Seminar of the academic year will be September 3, with Ian Lundberg, Assistant Professor of Sociology, UCLA. Dr. Lundberg will present, “Non-existent Outcomes in Research on Inequality: A Causal Approach.” This is an in-person talk, 310 Social Sciences Building. The presentation will also be available via Zoom. Event details are here. Visit our Brown Bag event page for both past and upcoming talks here. 

The PAA welcomes your submissions for the PAA 2026 Annual Meeting and look forward to a full and rigorous scientific conference in St. Louis next spring. The Call for Papers is now available and the deadline for submissions is October 5, 11:59 PST. Sessions will be in-person at the America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 6 – 9, 2026. Please note a few important items:

  • All accepted presenters will be required to register for the conference by February 4, 2026.
  • Individuals can only serve as a presenting author twice on the program (but can have additional roles such as chair or discussant).
  • Organizers will not review papers from authors with whom they have a conflict of interest (close collaborators or current students/postdocs). As such, please do not submit your abstract to someone with whom you may have a conflict of interest.

View the call here.

If you are interested in being a chair and/or discussant for the PAA 2026 Annual Meeting, fill out this form. Names of interested parties will be given to the Program Committee for selecting organizers. Session organizers will then contact the appropriate chair or discussant for their sessions as necessary. Submitting this form does not guarantee that you will be selected as a chair or discussant.

Announcements from the NIH.

See further announcements and opportunities below.

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EVENTS

September 2  | 12:10-1pm | UC Berkeley School of Public Health Research Series | Layla Kwong “News Coverage of Racism as a Public Health Crisis.” Pre-register here. 

September 3 | 12:10-1:05pm |  UC Berkeley Demography Colloquium | Ian Lundberg, Assistant Professor of Sociology, UCLA. Dr. Lundberg will present, “Non-existent Outcomes in Research on Inequality: A Causal Approach.” This is an in-person talk, 310 Social Sciences Building. The presentation will also be available via Zoom. Event details are here. Visit our Brown Bag event page for both past and upcoming talks here.

September 19 | 9:30am-4:15pm |  UC Berkeley Criminal Law & Justice Center and the Scholars Strategy Network Bay Area Chapter | “Engaging as a Public Scholar in Uncertain Times.” The first months of the Trump administration have posed acute challenges in higher education. In a shifting and volatile political climate, students and faculty face growing uncertainty around the repercussions of expressing dissenting opinions and drawing on their professional expertise in public conversations. 

All interested Bay Area-based academics are welcome. No previous policy or media experience is required. This daylong event will explore the challenges and possibilities of public-facing scholarship in today’s polarized environment. The program will include two hands-on trainings led by the Scholars Strategy Network. Location: Berkeley Law: 295 Warren Room. See full event details here.

FUNDING

Rapid Response: Reinvesting in Racial and Indigenous Health Equity Research. The purpose of this call for proposals is to meet the current moment by supporting timely, actionable health equity research that has been interrupted by shifts in federal funding. Deadline: October 1, 2025

Exploring Equitable Futures. The purpose of this call for proposals is to support projects that seed new and unconventional ideas that could radically advance health equity for generations to come. Deadline: October 15, 2025

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows. The RWJF Health Policy Fellows program provides the nation’s most comprehensive learning experience at the intersection of health, science, and policy in Washington, D.C. Deadline: November 3, 2025

Society for Family Planning: Bridging Investments in Abortion and Contraception Research. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the completion or partial completion of terminated NIH grants focused on abortion and/or contraception in the US, ensuring that research efforts still have their intended impact on just and equitable abortion and contraception informed by science. Rolling deadline.

NSF 25-542: Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science (SCH). The purpose of this interagency program solicitation is to support the development of transformative high-risk, high-reward advances in computer and information science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, behavioral and/or cognitive research to address pressing questions in the biomedical and public health communities. Transformations hinge on scientific and engineering innovations by interdisciplinary teams that develop novel methods to intuitively and intelligently collect, sense, connect, analyze and interpret data from individuals, devices and systems to enable discovery and optimize health. Solutions to these complex biomedical or public health problems demand the formation of interdisciplinary teams that are ready to address these issues, while advancing fundamental science and engineering. Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 16 per year, subject to the availability of funds. Projects will be funded for up to four years for a total of $1,200,000 ($300,000 per year). Deadline: October 3, 2025. Read the program solicitation here.

Call for Applications, Proposals, and Papers from NIA Supported Centers and Networks 

Scientific Research Network on Decision Neuroscience and Aging (SRNDNA) is currently accepting applications for the Open Data Awards. This award provides funding for anyone (undergraduates, post-bachelors, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, research scientists, or faculty) willing to share a relevant data set related to aging and decision making. Learn more and apply by September 15, 2025.  

US Deprescribing Research Network has opened their request for applications for Pilot Awards to support research related to deprescribing that provides key preliminary data, proof of concept, or development work that offers a pathway to future, larger-scale studies and career development of the investigators involved. The maximum budget per award is $30,000 in direct costs (and no more than $50,000 in combined direct and indirect cost). A required Letter of Intent is due by September 19, 2025, with full application submission by invitation only. Learn more about the pilot grant opportunity and register to their informational webinar on August 26, 2025 at 2:00pm ET.

The Roybal Centers for Translational Research in the Behavioral and Social Sciences of Aging  are currently accepting applications to fund fully powered, randomized clinical trials on behavioral interventions in aging. Applicants must apply the NIH Stage Model as a conceptual framework and clearly articulate a plan for how their trial will progress through the NIH Stage Model. Review each Roybal Center funding opportunity announcement for specific requirements for each Roybal Centers and submit a letter of intent by October 15, 2025. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research Coordinating Center on the Economics of Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD) Prevention, Treatment, and Care. NBER Coordinating Center on the Economics of AD/ADRD Prevention, Treatment, and Care conducts and coordinates a range of research projects related to these dementias, which are projected to become increasingly prevalent as the US population ages, and pose profound challenges to our health and long-term care systems. Providing care to individuals with AD/ADRD is complicated by their potential limitations in their capacity to communicate and engage. A growing body of research offers new insights on both the prevention and treatment of AD/ADRD. The center goals include launching new research projects through annual awards of research grants, coordinating collaboration and synergy among the research teams that receive support from the Consortium as well as others carrying out AD/ADRD research, expanding the network of researchers studying the economics of AD/ADRD through early career grants, engaging advisory forum members from research and policy communities, and disseminating research findings. The Center recently released two calls for applications for Research on Economics of Alzheimer’s/Dementia (READ), including one for Early Career investigators. Potential applicants can browse the Center’s funding opportunities page to learn more, sign up for the informational webinars, and submit their application by September 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET.

Music & Dementia Research Network invites pilot research applications that focus on mechanisms through which music may have a positive impact on health in the context of AD/ADRD. Learn more and submit your application by November 17, 2025.

Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Trailblazer Award for New and Early-Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health. The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, with the National Eye Institute, the National Institute on Aging, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health intend to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the Trailblazer Award. This is an opportunity for NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm) to pursue research programs that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with the life and/or biomedical sciences. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high-risk high-impact, and may be technology design-directed, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R21 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into the application of principles and techniques from engineering and quantitative sciences, such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, and computer sciences are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in transdisciplinary research approaches with the potential to open new areas of biomedical investigation will be encouraged and these investigators should also begin considering applying for this application.  Estimated Application Due Date: Feb 16, 2026. 

WORKSHOPS

National Academies Committee on Population. “Research Agenda for Improving Economic and Social Mobility in the United States.” Economic and Social Mobility, a new consensus study from the Committee on Population and Committee on National Statistics, provides a forward-looking framework for data, research, and policy initiatives to boost upward mobility and better fulfill promises of opportunity and advancement for all members of U.S. society. Join us for a webinar where members of the study committee will discuss the report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations addressing issues such as: (1) Early Life and Family; (2) Space and Place; (3) Postsecondary Education; (4) Wealth, Credit, and Debt; and (5) Data Infrastructure.

Speakers will include:

  • H. Luke Shaefer (Chair), University of Michigan
  • Florencia Torche (Vice Chair), Princeton University
  • Lawrence M. Berger, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Stefanie A. DeLuca, Johns Hopkins University
  • David A. Grusky, Stanford University
  • Fabian T. Pfeffer, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany
  • Patrick Sharkey, Princeton University
  • Kenneth R. Troske, University of Kentucky

More information about this event and register. September 22, 2025, 2-3:30pm ET.

PREPARE Challenge Pitches: Proof-of-Concept AI Models for Early AD/ADRD Prediction. The PREPARE Challenge (Pioneering Research for Early Prediction of Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias EUREKA Challenge) aimed to advance data and algorithms for accurate, innovative, and representative early prediction of AD/ADRD. At a virtual pitch event, data scientists who developed proof-of-concept models based on their prize-winning Phase 2 work will share how they used social determinants of health or acoustic data to predict cognitive decline. Each team will deliver a 5-minute pitch focusing on practical takeaways and lessons learned from their model development process on Thursday, August 28, 2025 3-5pm ET. You can register ahead of the event and registration remains open until the event begins. To learn more about the PREPARE challenge, visit the challenge website or read about the Phase 1 results where teams identified key public datasets and the Phase 2 results where solvers developed the predictive models being presented at this event.

NIA BSR Upcoming Workshop Spotlight: Changing Ownership of Health Care Entities in the U.S. BSR is hosting a virtual workshop on Changing Ownership of Health Care Entities in the U.S. on Thursday, September 4 and Friday, September 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM ET to explore trends in health care delivery, focusing on health care contexts (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes) that are consolidating and/or being acquired by investment-oriented groups, such as private equity firms (PE) or real-estate investment trusts (REITs). To further the understanding of what these trends mean for patient health outcomes, this workshop will feature sessions that:

  • Describe more recent trends in hospital/health system consolidation; acquisition of nursing homes; and hospices by large chains
  • Identify the different types of institutions increasingly involved in health care over the last two decades, particularly newer players
  • Describe implications for patient health, as well as data needs and reasons for gaps in this evidence
  • Explore responses from society and communities, such as providers, employers, and policymakers

Learn more about the workshop and register for both workshop dates on the official NIA workshop page.

National Academy of Medicine. Leveraging Data to Drive Effective Heat Protection Policies. Webinar – September 4, 2025.

Caregiving Workshop at the Gerontological Society of America.  Understanding and addressing the misalignment of care demands between an aging population and a shortage of healthcare workers in the US requires research-ready data to study caregiving. Join IPUMS and NDIRA the morning of Wednesday, November 12 for a GSA workshop: Population Data for Studying Formal and Informal Caregiving.

  • Overview of IPUMS data that are relevant to caregiving
  • Demonstrations of features to streamline data management
  • Discussions about analytical considerations
  • Review of non-caregiving topical coverage in these data
  • Guidance on identifying informal caregivers, the healthcare workforce, and individuals receiving home healthcare
  • Opportunities for hands-on exercises and individual consultations

Please register to join us or circulate this opportunity with your networks. The early bird registration rate for GSA expires on September 3. See further information here.

LTC Data Cooperative – Ask & Explore: Office Hours for Interested Researchers. Virtual. September 11, 2025. 

Gateway to Global Aging – The Impact of Long-Term Care Funding on Access to Life Sustaining Critical Care in the English NHS. Virtual. September 18, 2025.

Gateway to Global Aging – Differences in Access to Publicly Provided Long-term Care in the United States. Virtual. October 16, 2025.

Center for Aging and Policy Studies (CAPS) Seminar: Sleep Duration and Aging from a Biosocial, Life Course Perspective. Virtual. October 17, 2025.

CONFERENCES

 Call for Abstracts. Singapore Conference on Ageing and Health 2026.  

February 2-3, 2026. 

Location: Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium (Academia), Singapore. 

As populations age, the key question is no longer just how long we live-but how well. How do we age with dignity, purpose, and care in a changing world?  Join us in Singapore as we bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore what it means to age well. From preventive health to long-term care, cognitive ageing to frailty, productive ageing, mental health, social inclusion, ageing policies and health economics, technology, and the built environment, the conference offers a holistic platform to explore what it means to age with dignity, resilience, and purpose. For more information, read here. Submit your abstracts here.  

OPPORTUNITIES

UC Berkeley Global Health Emerging Scholars Fellowship. The Global Health Emerging Scholars (GHES) is a training program sponsored by the Fogarty International Center and collaborating Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). GHES provides 12-month research fellowships at 18 collaborating institutions in 16 low- and middle-

income countries (LMIC) for US post- and pre- doctoral trainees and LMIC post-doctoral trainees. Our UC Berkeley training sites are in Tanzania, India, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Bangladesh, but applicants can apply to any of the 16 GHES training sites.  For more information, please contact the UC Berkeley GHES program manager Maria Hernandez at maria.hernandez@berkeley.edu. Flyer with more information is here. Deadline: October 1, 2025. 

Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation announced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development (R&D) focused exclusively on women’s health. It will support the advancement of more than 40 innovations in five critical, chronically underfunded areas—particularly those affecting women in low- and middle-income countries. The foundation’s investment will advance innovation across five high-impact areas of a woman’s lifespan:

  • Obstetric care and maternal immunization: Making pregnancy and delivery safer
  • Maternal health and nutrition: Supporting healthier pregnancies and newborns
  • Gynecological and menstrual health: Advancing tools and research to better diagnose, treat, and improve gynecological health and reduce infection risk
  • Contraceptive innovation: Offering more accessible, acceptable, and effective options
  • Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Improving diagnosis and treatment to reduce disproportionate burdens on women

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards at the Scientific Interface. BWF’s Career Awards at the Scientific Interface (CASI) provide $560,000 over five years to bridge advanced postdoctoral training and the first three years of faculty service. These awards are open to U.S. and Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. degree in one of the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, statistics, or engineering. This includes related areas of physical, mathematical, computational, theoretical, and engineering science. Exceptions will be made only if the applicant can demonstrate significant expertise in one of these areas, evidenced by publications, undergraduate major, or master’s degree. Letter of Intent due September 2, 2025 by 3pm ET. Read more and apply.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Alzheimer’s & Dementia and the Gateway Exposome Coordinating Center (GECC) invite submissions for a special issue dedicated to interdisciplinary research on the exposome and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) risk, resilience, and disparities. Learn more and submit your paper by December 31, 2025.

npj Dementia is calling for papers for the upcoming series that focus on cognitive assessments across diverse populations. Learn more and submit your paper by January 28, 2026.

DATA UPDATES FROM IPUMS 

IPUMS HEALTH SURVEYS. IPUMS NHIS has added approximately 700 variables from the 2024 NHIS sample, including variables from rotating core content such as psychological distress, health-related behaviors, and allergies and other conditions. We have also added new variables introduced in 2024 on topics including long COVID (CVDODORDIFF, CVDSMELLCHG), intake of GLP medication(s) (DIAGLP), loneliness (LONELYFREQ), and the updated metro/non-metro classification (URBRRL).

IPUMS CPS. IPUMS CPS has modified the linking keys CPSID, CPSIDP, and CPSIDV to facilitate linking ASEC oversample records across ASEC samples for 1989-forward; read our technical paper to learn more. We have also released an improved version of the harmonized occupation variable OCC2010, added the July 2025 basic monthly data, and extended variable availability for recently released supplements, specifically the Fertility (June 2024), Tobacco Use (January/May 2023), Veteran (August 2024), and Voter (November 2024) supplements.

IPUMS USA. IPUMS USA has released an updated version of the harmonized occupation variable OCC2010 alongside improved documentation.

Population Data Virtual Office Hours

September 17; 10:00-11:30am CT

Join us for virtual office hours to discuss your questions with IPUMS data experts. In this session, we will be joined by special data guest SHADAC, a leading source of state health policy data and information. SHADAC is widely known for its State Health Compare tool, though IPUMS users may be more familiar with the health insurance unit variables they create for IPUMS USA and IPUMS CPS. Registration is required to attend virtual office hours, but you can drop in anytime between 10:00am and 11:30am CT.

Posted in Newsletter.