This core has developed particular expertise in innovative methods of using spatial data to address important social issues. Its mission is to provide a centralized and coordinated set of services that promote the use of spatial methods and spatial thinking for the analysis of population problems. Specific objectives include providing technical support to individual projects that use spatial data and methods, developing new projects that incorporate spatial perspectives, and providing workshops and training programs that stimulate the development of new skills and knowledge of spatial applications. The Spatial Analysis Core was initiated in the previous PRIP proposal as a result ofthe emergence in 2003 of the Spatial Structures in the Social Sciences (S4) initiative at Brown. PSTC associates were centrally involved in the origination of this initiative, which was one of a number of signature programs developed at Brown University as part of its Program for Academic Enrichment. Formeriy, PSTC provided administrative support for the initiative inclusive of grants and budget management. While S4 has a broad mandate that extends beyond the traditional boundaries of population studies, a strong core of those hired and otherwise benefiting from the initiative, as well as all current externally funded S4 research, is population-related. Moreover, as S4 matured from an initiative to an established program there was a desire on the part of both the administration and users to ensure that S4 was put on a firm foundation of university resources and outreach to a broad cross-section of scholars. Given the PSTC's success as an interdisciplinary unit it was determined that starting July 2010 S4 would formally be constituted as a program within the PSTC. As a consequence of this merger, financial resources for S4 were merged with other PSTC resources, but it was agreed that for the period covered by this proposal the current allocation would provide a baseline for S4 support within PSTC. This new structure brings significant advantages to the PSTC. First, it increases PSTC's identity and influence within the University community. PSTC now directly administers a larger portfolio of externally funded research and university resources and there is a larger faculty constituency with an interest in ensuring its success. Second, the merger creates efficiencies in terms of administrative and computational support by allowing greater specialization of effort. Third, this merger is consistent with PSTC's expanding vision of population research as central to many important scholariy and policy issues, as articulated in the program overview of this proposal. As noted, the PSTC seeks to find a balance between faculty who are primarily connected to the traditional network of population studies and those with a primary focus elsewhere who do population relatedwork. A number of S4 faculty who were not previously PSTC associates have a substantial share of research activity that fits well with the DBSB mission and with our signature themes in particular. One such researcher (Heller) has now been appointed as a PSTC associate due to the strong connection of his work to the Development and Institutions as well as the Spatial signature themes. Other S4 users, such as those in demographic archaeology, present possible opportunities for new population-related activity at Brown.
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