Junior Scholar Intensive Training (JSIT)

Retirement and Disability Research Summer Workshop

Background and informational materials:

  • To view the JSIT alumni scholars testimonal video, please click HERE .
  • To view the 2020 virtual JSIT workshop schedule, please click HERE
  • To view the CFS RDRC training program information session recording, please click HERE , and to view slides, please click HERE

JSIT Summer Workshop was held June 14 – 18, 2021
JSIT Fall Workshop: August 30 – 31, 2021

About the Workshop: Howard University’s Center on Race and Wealth (CRW) and the Center for Financial Security (CFS) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison seek applications for the Junior Scholar Intensive Training (JSIT) Summer Workshop. This week-long workshop, held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will bring together PhD students, newly graduated PhD researchers, and junior faculty who are interested in topics related to disability and retirement research in the United States. The goal of JSIT is to provide emerging scholars with training to develop research ideas and with mentoring to write an initial research proposal. The research proposals that scholars develop through JSIT may be eligible for small grants or other support. JSIT is supported by the Social Security Administration Retirement and Disability Research Consortium.

This interdisciplinary training was led by faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other institutions. This interactive workshop included group and individual work, as well as seminar style presentations. Each participant received access to a mentor and support to develop a research proposal over the course of the week. Workshop topics included:

  • Strategies for formulating research questions and hypotheses
  • Working with data sets
  • Communicating and translating research
  • How to get the most out of a mentor relationship
  • Grant writing basics

Read an article about the 2020 JSIT workshop here . The 2019 JSIT scholars are featured in an article here .

About JSIT Mentoring

Mentoring is key component to the JSIT program. While most concentrated during the summer months, mentoring is provided year round. Each scholar is paired with their main JSIT mentor who guides the scholar through their proposal development process, which is bookended by scholar presentations at the summer and fall workshops. Prior JSIT mentors have been:

Further, JSIT scholars have received mentoring from CFS faculty mentors:

About CRW: The mission of the Center on Race and Wealth is to enrich research, dialogue, and policy formation related to asset building, wealth accumulation, racial wealth disparities, racial disparities in law enforcement, poverty, and inequality. To carry out this mission, the Center enlists a team of experienced researchers at universities across the country to initiate and conduct rigorous original studies on these critical issues. The target audiences for this work include policymakers, advocacy groups, and the broader public. The work of these academic researchers is supported by research assistants from the Ph.D. economics program at Howard University. The Center’s location in an economics department and in Washington, DC uniquely positions it to bring together economists and public policy professionals to address central issues facing the nation.

About CFS: CFS is a multidisciplinary research center that conducts applied research in household finance, consumer behavior and financial security over the life course with an emphasis on informing policy and practice with evidence-based strategies. As a designated center within the Social Security Administration Retirement and Disability Research Consortium, CFS oversees research, dissemination, and training programs, which develop evidence that assist policymakers, the public, and the media in understanding issues in Social Security, retirement, and disability policy, especially related to economically vulnerable populations.