Rapid Pilots

The Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) invites Faculty, Research Scientists, and Postdoctoral Fellows with an interest in aging to submit rapid research proposals for this academic year.  Proposals are due by Nov 1, 2023, and awards may be supported from November 2023-June 2024.

CDHA is one of 12 research centers on aging funded by the National Institute on Aging. The Center supports new research on the demography of aging with a focus on signature themes, including:

  1. Aging and the life course: linkages between longevity/later life health and social, economic, and environmental exposures throughout the full life course.
  2. Biodemography: genomics, epigenetics, hormonal dysregulation, microbiotic changes, and the integration of biological and population-based data.
  3. Aging and racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, geographic, and gender disparities in health and well-being.
  4. Health economics: Retirement, health care, etc.
  5. Impacts of places (including neighborhoods, rural/urban settings, states, and other geographic regions) on health and longevity

We also welcome proposals that focus on Family demography, social engagement/support, and social isolation as well as proposals focused on the demography of dementia and caregiving.

View a printable (.pdf) version of this opportunity here. 

The program is open to faculty, academic research staff (e.g. Research Scientists), and postdoctoral fellows with an interest in aging. We welcome proposals from UW-Madison affiliates as well as scholars who work in institutions without an NIH population center. Priority will be given to early career scholars.

Applicants may request up to $25,000 in direct costs. Expenses can include graduate research assistant (with associated tuition and fringe costs), faculty salary support, data collection costs, travel costs, and materials and supplies necessary for the proposed research.

Please submit a 2 page proposal describing the project (Significance and Approach) and its relationship to the CDHA signature themes. Please include a Biosketch, budget, and brief justification. Questions may be directed to Michal Engelman: mengelman@wisc.edu. Please submit your completed proposal as a single PDF including all components via email to Aaron Crandall aaron.crandall@wisc.edu.

Pilot projects should result in presentations, at least one published paper, and when appropriate, a grant application related to the pilot work. Recipients are expected to report on the outcome of the pilot in summer 2024 and in subsequent years, and cite CDHA (P30 AG017266) as a source of funding support for any publications or presentations that emerge from this funding.

Applications will be reviewed starting Nov 1, 2023, but additional proposals may be considered on a rolling basis, depending on the availability of funds. Applications will be reviewed and a decision made quickly, contingent on NIA review and approval. Awards are anticipated to be supported from November 2023-June2024. Please note that a separate call for proposals in the Spring semester will supports projects in the 2024-25 academic year.