GlobalMentalHealth@Harvard Weekly Newsletter

The Koenen lab is recruiting for two positions (below) at the Harvard Chan School for the NeuroGAP-Psychosis study. NeuroGAP-Psychosis a collaboration between scientists in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Boston at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute with the goal of better understanding the genetics and environmental risk factors behind schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The study aims to collect saliva and phenotypic data from 35,000+ people (half cases and half controls) by 2022. HSPH cannot sponsor visas for these positions.

The Research Program on Children and Adversity (RPCA) at the Boston College School of Social Work (BCSSW) is recruiting for two positions (below). RPCA is an applied research program dedicated to improving the evidence base of understanding risk and protective factors influencing mental health, child development, and family functioning as well as intervention research to develop and test behavioral interventions for children and families affected by multiple forms of adversity, including armed conflict, poverty, and infectious disease. Email Tesla Abrego with any questions!

The Center offers two unique NIH-funded research training programs (see below) for early career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds with an interest in national and global health disparities, child and adolescent mental health, HIV/AIDS, and economic development in resource constrained settings, with a focus on the US and Sub-Saharan Africa. Application are now open, and are due by January 4, 2021.

Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness 2021-2022

Work-Study Internship
The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is seeking three (3) paid, part-time (10-15 hours a week), Research Assistants (RAs) to begin as soon as possible, through May 2021 (term end date is dependent on work-study eligibility). Applicants must have Federal Work Study eligibility. The RAs will support various projects conducted at the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness that examine the psychological and social factors contributing to physical health outcomes, and their related biobehavioral pathways (e.g., health behaviors). The RAs will contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for publication, including but not limited to i) assisting with literature reviews, and ii) helping code/analyze data. The RAs may also help prepare conference presentations and progress reports. All work will be done remotely.

Dissertation Research Awards

The Dissertation Research Award is to assist doctoral students of public health working on relevant topics with research costs. Awards of up to $2500 will be given.

Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a doctoral program at one of the Harvard graduate schools and actively working on their dissertation. Dissertation proposals must have been approved by applicants’ dissertation committee and the dissertation research must be in the field of positive health science or another closely related field.

Applications for 2021-2022 are due on January 8, 2021. Download the application form here.

Short Course: Exploring the Linkages between Mental Well-Being and Physical Health Outcomes
The Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Research Department of Behavioural Science and Health at University College London (UCL) are launching a new summer short course exploring the linkages between mental well-being and physical health outcomes. The five-day course, target audience will be junior scholars (junior faculty and postdoctoral fellows) and doctoral-level graduate students, will provide attendees with a systematic and rigorous overview of the relationship between positive mental well-being and physical health, drawing on a variety of empirical methods with careful consideration of measurement issues. The course will be offered July 12-16, 2021.

T32 in Psychiatric Genetics and Translational Research

Led by Drs. Karestan Koenen, Deborah Blacker and JP Onnela, the T32 in Psychiatric Genetics and Translational Research is seeking outstanding candidates for post-doctoral positions for the 2020-2021 academic year at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This training program includes the Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Applications are due January 15^th.

The joint training program in psychiatric epidemiology and biostatistics educates promising post-doctoral trainees as epidemiological and biostatistical scientists in psychiatric research, with focus areas including: psychiatric genetics, digital phenotyping and analytical methods for translational research among other areas. Trainees can be quantitative scientists seeking specific research opportunities in mental health, or psychiatrists or psychologists seeking additional training in quantitative methods along with research experience. Training is customized to the needs of trainees, and can include coursework or a formal degree. Mentors are drawn from the Harvard-Chan faculty as well as Harvard Medical School faculty based at our partner hospitals including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and McLean Hospital. More information can be found here. The application can be found here.

If you aren't ready to apply, but want to learn more, please visit this link.

Submit the following materials online:

2 -page Application form
Three letters of recommendation
2-3 page letter outlining your background, goals and the planned research and mentorship team
Curriculum Vitae/Resume