CDHA affiliate Jacob Meyer studies how movement can improve mental health — and how exercise might not just support well-being, but strengthen mental health treatment. He was recently featured for his current research on how movement can improve mental health — and how exercise might not just support well-being but strengthen mental health treatment. He is …
CDHA is proud to support a high-impact pilot project designed to harmonize cutting-edge biomarker data across two foundational national panel studies: High School and Beyond (HS&B:80) and the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS:72). Originally established by the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate educational pathways and life course development, …
CDHA has joined as a key partner in the renewed Network on Early-Life Determinants, Biosocial Pathways, and Dementia (EdDem). Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) through an R33 grant mechanism, the expanded network examines how a wider array of early-life social, environmental, and family conditions shape risk for and resilience against Alzheimer’s disease …
Name: Sarah S. Salas Title: PhD Candidate Hometown: Houston, TX Educational background: BSA Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin Sarah’s journey into population sciences began as an undergraduate research assistant collecting survey and biospecimen data on Mexican-origin adolescents. “It was my first exposure to how research could take every day experiences and make them observable …
Department of Sociology doctoral student Meiyi Li has been selected for the Institute on Aging’s (IOA) prestigious 2026 New Investigator Award. Li will present her award-winning research poster at the upcoming IOA Annual Colloquium. Li’s poster, titled “Parenting Children with Serious Health Conditions and Late-life Cognition: Life Course Associations and Gender Differences,” addresses a critical gap in …
The Neighborhoods Study, a nationwide project led by CDHA affiliate Dr. Amy Kind has been awarded a $30.9 million NIH renewal grant to investigate how social and environmental factors influence Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. As the largest study of its kind linking the social exposome with brain tissues, the research will evaluate how lifelong exposures, such …
UW–Madison researchers are developing culturally sensitive tools to empower Hmong and other caregivers CDHA affiliate and emerging scholar pilot grantee Maichou Lor was recently featured for her innovative work addressing health communication barriers in marginalized populations. In collaboration with School of Pharmacy Professor Betty Chewning, Dr. Lor developed a culturally sensitive, visual pain assessment tool …
Yue Qin has been selected as recipients of the 2026 American Sociological Association Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (ASA DDRIG). This highly competitive national award, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), recognizes doctoral students who demonstrate exceptional promise in advancing sociological knowledge. The grant will provide vital financial support to enhance the methodological quality …
CDHA is thrilled to welcome back Lauren Schmitz as she resumes vital role as the Associate Director of Training following her sabbatical break! Lauren is an Associate Professor of Public Affairs at the La Follette School of Public Affairs and a dedicated member of the CDHA community. Her extensive research spans social genomics, health economics, …
We are currently inviting applications for an NIH/NIA-funded postdoctoral traineeship beginning in summer or fall 2026! This position offers advanced training in the demography of aging and the life course, providing an exceptional environment for independent research, collaboration with CDHA faculty mentors, and engagement with leading longitudinal studies such as the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), …