Private industries such as health care, technology, and finance have very rich data resources and patient/customer populations that offer novel opportunities to conduct large-scale applied research studies. Unfortunately, collaborations between social scientists and the private sector are difficult to establish, limited by complex privacy concerns, logistical issues, and mutual distrust about how the findings might be used. Yet these collaborations represent extraordinary opportunities for early career researchers to answer important questions about human behavior that predict long-term health, social, and financial outcomes.

In this workshop, early career researchers will learn from senior academics and industry mentors about how to work together toward mutually interesting research goals. Mentors from GSA’s Corporate Advisory Panel will share strategies for approaching and communicating with private-sector partners, establishing and meeting expectations, managing challenges or conflicts, and utilizing the scientific outcomes of collaboration. Applicants must submit a brief proposal describing their research question and how this question could be answered using private sector settings, data resources and/or clients, customers, patients, and employees. Those who are accepted will be assigned an industry mentor who will help workshop their research proposals during breakout sessions and will provide insight on the feasibility of the research and potential interest from industry. Proposed projects should be focused on behaviors in everyday life that affect long-term health and well-being in old age. Example research topics include understanding and optimizing saving and spending behaviors, behavioral health interventions in long-term care settings, and workforce and occupational decision making.

This workshop is supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (R25-AG053252) to Professors Laura Carstensen of Stanford University and Gregory Samanez-Larkin of Duke University. There is no cost to participate in this workshop and accepted applicants are not required to attend The Gerontological Society of America 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting or be GSA members. Lodging at the JW Marriott Austin will be reimbursed for two nights and reasonable airfare costs will be paid for accepted trainees. Assistant professors, postdocs, and PhD students who have advanced to candidacy are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to U.S. citizens and those in the United States on a J-1 or F-1 Visa. We are committed to educating junior scholars from culturally diverse backgrounds. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Online applications must be submitted by August 16, 2019, 5:00 pm PDT. Applicants will be notified in early September.

To learn more about the workshop and application, watch the informational webinar.

*The organizers understand that applicants may be presenting their research at a time that overlaps with this full-day workshop. If accepted, your commitment is very important because enrollment is extremely limited and our goal is to give participants ample face-to-face time with their assigned mentor. We will allow participants to step out of the workshop to attend one 1.5-hour scientific session if they are presenting or are the session chair; however, we advise individuals not to apply if more than one scientific session or networking event presents a conflict on November 14, 2019. Thank you for understanding.