Postdoctoral Training Program in Prevention Science at the University of Oregon: Preparing Education Researchers to Prevent Social and Behavioral Problems in Schools

Co-Principal Investigator: Seeley, John

The University of Oregon's postdoctoral research program will provide postdoctoral fellows with extensive research training in the prevention of social and behavioral problems in schools and the implementation of school-wide programs to reduce risk and enhance protective factors from early childhood to adolescence. The overarching goal of this program is to prepare four fellows (with 2 years of training each) to conduct rigorous research related to the prevention of social and behavioral problems among students with or at risk for disabilities.

The program will support fellows in developing skills related to (a) research design and statistical analyses, (b) writing and dissemination, (c) grants management, (d) mentorship, and (e) responsible conduct of research. In collaboration with their primary and secondary mentor, fellows will design an Individual Training Plan (ITP) to guide their training experiences. Fellows will select one of the following areas on which to focus their training: (1) intervention efficacy, (2) implementation science, or (3) advanced research methodology. Research and training activities specified in the ITP will allow fellows to develop competence in their chosen emphasis area and the five key skills mentioned above. In their first year, fellows will work with their mentors to design an independent research project involving secondary data analysis of extant data or primary data collection as part of an existing grant-funded project. They will also begin collaborating with their mentors on ongoing IES- and other federally-funded research focused on a variety of topics related to the prevention of social and behavioral problems, including the evaluation of family-based prevention programs; the development of a professional development program to reduce disproportionality in school discipline; the optimization of a parenting program using a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) design; and the exploration of student, school, and neighborhood risk and protective factors related to youth safety and well-being. During their second year, fellows will continue to work on their independent research and will take a stronger leadership role in the federally-funded research projects and the supervision of graduate students and research assistants. During both years, fellows will audit courses (particularly in advanced statistics), attend research seminars, write grants and journal articles, and attend national conferences where they will present their research findings. Throughout their 2 years, fellows will meet with their mentors regularly to establish and reflect on their goals, customize their research and training activities, and assess their progress.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Fleming, Christopher