Berkeley is widely recognized as one of the leading centers of demographic training and research in the US and the world, and is particularly known for its training in the economics and demography of aging. Our graduates hold academic positions at leading universities and demographic research centers in the departments of sociology, economics, anthropology, demography, history, public health and statistics. The 14 training faculty include 2 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 2 Mindel C. Sheps Awards, a Taeuber Award, a John Bates Clark Medal recipient, and holders of many other honors and awards. Four training faculty have primary appointments in the Department of Demography, 4 in Economics, 2 in Public Health, 1 in the Business School, 1 in Public Policy and 1 in Agriculture and Resource Economics. The heart of the program lies in the Department of Demography, but the program is deeply interdisciplinary and draws additional students and trainees from economics and public health, and occasionally from Biology, Sociology and Public Policy. Some trainees get a PhD in Demography per se. Others earn the PhD in another field but do course work in Demography where they earn the MA or do a specialized field, often while supported on the training grant. The Demography faculty has a strong tilt towards formal demography and mathematical and statistical modeling, with applications to biodemography, simulation, forecasting, and mortality analysis. All Demography Ph.D. students do an MA in an outside department of their choice. Time from entry to Ph.D. is typically 4 to 6 years. Trainees typically receive T32 support for up to four years for the Demography Ph.D., and up to two years for trainees from other units listed above. Occasionally trainees have T32 support at program entry, but most are recruited for the T32 after their first or second years. Support is requested for four predoctoral trainees and no postdoctoral trainees as in the past.
Population aging raises the prevalence of aging related illnesses and behaviors, and thereby stresses public and private support systems for the elderly including Medicare, Institutional Medicaid, Social Security, familial care of the elderly, and so o. Economic behavior regarding labor supply and retirement at older ages, saving and dissaving, financial decision making, and living arrangements is also highly relevant. The proposed training program deals with these issues.
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