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Current Update.PPOL Update April 24, 2007PPOL Students: This Update is a few days early due to my attendance of the UAA conference starting tomorrow. In this issue of the Update: 2--POLS Smart Room Funding Update
One of the incoming new PPOL students recently stumped me with a question to which I have absolutely no answer and to which I turn to you for your thoughts. She is moving to the area and is looking for good and affordable child care. Does anyone of you have recommendations that I could share with her as she gets ready to move here this summer? Any leads would be most appreciated! I am out of my depth on this particular “policy” issue.
2--POLS Smart Room Funding Update Many of you have complained to me about the technology limitation facing the Political Science conference where many of our PPOL courses are offered. I have good news! The dean approved the department’s (fourth!) request to upfit the room with a projector and laptop connection. So that room will be FAR more friendly when you all return in the fall.
I often post information about the numerous departmental brown bags going on around the university when I see those that appear to have a policy and/or multidisciplinary aspect to them. Recently, the Dept of Sociology has hosted several such brown bags where multiple methods and approaches as well as multiple disciplines have been brought to bear on a variety of issues that would be of interest to many of you. Here are the details on the last SOCY brown bag for this academic year. PPOL students are always invited to join in on these. Department of Sociology and Anthropology Friday, April 27 2007, 12:30-1:30 Conference Room, Fretwell 480c Dr. Saylor Breckenridge Wake Forest University will present: Organizational Demography and the Production of Culture: Regulation, Ecology and Organizational Form in the US Comic Book Industry, 1914-2000
In the last PPOL Update, I mentioned that PPOL student Huiping Li was offered one of the nationally competitive ORCAS summer internships at the Oakridge National Laboratory. Right after I sent that announcement, Huiping received a second offer from ORCAS on a different project! This is great news and gave her a hard choice to make. In addition, PPOL student Sasha Tsvetkova also was offered (and accepted) another ORCAS project for the summer at the national lab. Congrats to both of these students for competing for and winning these bids!
Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship Overview The Jennings Randolph program awards Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowships to students at U.S. universities researching and writing doctoral dissertations on international conflict and peace. Named for the former United States Senator from West Virginia whose efforts over four decades helped establish USIP, the Jennings Randolph program has awarded nearly 200 Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowships. The program has established itself since its founding in 1987 as one of the nation's premier fellowship programs for research on international conflict management and peacebuilding. For more information, visit: http://www.usip.org/fellows/scholars.html
The US Govt Accountability Office, an agency of Congress, expects to hire a large number of entry-level analysts over the coming year. These positions are designed for recently minted MAs and PhDs with solid analytical and methodological skills and an interest in applied research. Full details on locations, salary, topic areas and duties can be found by searching by agency ("Government Accountability Office") or announcement number (N-07-TEAMS-0347-001) at www.usajobs.com. Like most federal positions, US Citizenship is required. GAO Entry-Level Analyst Additional Duty Location Info: many vacancies - Throughout the Nation, US MAJOR DUTIES: Top JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE GAO ANALYST: Typically, an analyst works as part of a project team conducting in- depth analysis and evaluation of executive and legislative branch programs, policies, offices, and processes. GAO's work is generally requested by the Chairman or Ranking Minority Member of a congressional committee or subcommittee, or has been mandated by legislation. This work is demanding, important, and typically bound by fixed deadlines. It is generally conducted in a team setting. Analysts must have strong analytical and written/oral communication skills and be able to carefully document the work they do and communicate the results. Analysts must also effectively present their work to audiences ranging from their team members to congressional staff. Typical job skills, duties, and activities include: *Research design: supporting the development of appropriate research questions, and the project's scope and methodology, in collaboration with GAO experts in research methods; *Data collection: reviewing documents and conducting interviews of agency officials, focus groups, surveys, and expert panel discussions; *Program Evaluation/Organizational analysis: understanding and describing government agencies' structures, missions, goals, and processes; *Data analysis: summarizing facts in writing, interpreting data, understanding data limitations, and utilizing data to determine patterns, trends, or irregularities in program activities, policies, and procedures; *Collaboration: working well in a team-based environment through effective communication and information sharing; *Presenting information orally: contributing to the effective delivery of information to internal and external interested parties, through oral briefings, the use of visuals and graphics, and other appropriate means. *Writing: recording information from interviews with agency officials and drafting segments of reports or testimony statements; Entry-level analysts learn to perform the full range of analyst duties through a two-year Professional Development Program (PDP) during which they typically contribute to three or more projects in three or more Mission teams. (Additional information on this program can be found later in this announcement.) During this time, they work to develop their knowledge of GAO policies and to acquire or enhance the specific skills necessary to perform work on GAO projects. In doing so, analysts are initially supervised closely by a more senior analyst. As they gain experience, supervision typically decreases until the supervisor needs only to review the analyst's work to ensure that objectives have been met and GAO policies have been followed. With few exceptions, new analysts are generalists rather than specialists or subject matter experts and are expected to work on a variety of issues for the early-mid part of their career. Analysts focus on acquiring, enhancing, and deepening the skills and competencies that are most relevant to the dynamic nature of GAO work. Analysts' job performance in the PDP program is formally assessed every 6 months and they are rated for the following competencies: 1. Achieving results 2. Maintaining client and customer focus 3. Thinking critically 4. Collaborating with others 5. Presenting information orally 6. Presenting information in writing Social Science Analyst
See full job posting at USAJobs Job posting closes in early May. The incumbent of this position would serve as a social science analyst supporting the Director, Division of Data and Technical Analysis, within the Office of Human Services Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The incumbent would be responsible for data and policy analysis, program design and oversight and evaluation of policy and program research activities with respect to major Federal economic security programs and other human services programs and policies for low-income families and children. Research Fellow
PUBLIC POLICY
INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA, San Francisco Research Scientist
The National
Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences,
U.S. Department of Education has an opening for a research
scientist/specialist with expertise in economics and public policy.
The individual must demonstrate a familiarity with state and local
education finance data. The individual must also have experience
conducting analysis of these data, demonstrating quantitative and
qualitative skills.
Research Manager, Office of Education Accountability
The successful
candidate will oversee the development of the research agenda for
the Office of Education Accountability, which is established through
consultation with the governing legislative committee. The manager
will direct the design of research studies approved by the Kentucky
General Assembly and will oversee and participate in the completion
of the work.
Dr.
David Swindell, Assoc. Professor & Director
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