Call for Proposals to form Scientific Groups

The Asian Population Association (APA) Council is seeking proposals from APA members to form Scientific Groups onkey or emerging issues in the population fieldin the Asian region. Scientific groups will be created for the period 2016-2018.

Scientific groups play a key role in developing and implementing the work programme of the APA and provide a way to involve members in advancing specific research themes and to participate in the activities of the APA. The groups are expected to organize scientific activities to encourage high-level scientific research and deliberations on critical or emerging issues in the population field. These might include face-to-face workshops or seminars, cyber seminars, training workshops, developing training materials and other tools for population scientists, preparation of journal issues or books, or organising themed sessions at conference organised by other associations. The activities should stimulate interest among a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, national and international organizations, and the scientific community. A Scientific Group generally has four to five high level experts including the Chair who is responsible for developing a programme of activities for the Group and communicating with the SG Coordinator of the APA.

The present call seeks proposals for Scientific Groups to be submitted by current financial members of the APA. The proposal should have one person named as proposed chair, and at least three additional members, preferably drawn from different countries. The Scientific Group chair and members must be chosen for their expertise on a topic, with special attention given to geographic and gender diversity of group members in order for groups to benefit from a variety of cultural and regional perspectives. The Scientific Group chair and group members are responsible for raising funds to support the group’s activities. The APA has only very limited funds to be used in pump-priming activities in special circumstances.

If proposed members are not currently financial members for 2016, their appointment will be conditional upon becoming a financial member of the APA before June 2016.

Examples of themes that may be considered include: climate change; internal and international migration; marriage patterns; data quality and accessibility; gender and power differentials; sexual and reproductive health including fertility decline; access to safe abortion services and demographic monitoring of medical abortions; social issues of sex selection; young people’s life course; and ageing. Suggestions for other themes are also welcome, though the topics should be relevant to a number of country settings, and promote collaborative activities across Asia.

Interested members should send a proposal (maximum two pages) including the name of the theme, the rationale for the topic, proposed chair for the scientific group, a list of three to five potential members, a tentative programme of activities that the group would like to pursue over the period from May 2016 through December 2018 and outputs anticipated from the group’s activities. The proposal should specify what resources would be needed for their activities, and the potential sources for funding and support.

Deadline for submissions of proposals: (30 April 2016)

Interested members should submit their proposal electronically to the SG Coordinator Dr. K. G. Santhya (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with copy to the APA President Professor Doo-Sub Kim (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Please note that the APA Council is responsible for the scientific programme of the APA and will select proposals from APA members on the basis of scientific relevance to key population issues of broad interest to the membership, including those which have relevance in terms of application of research to public policy.

The APA Council will review proposals submitted and decide which proposals to approve. In considering the proposals, the APA Council reserves the right to modify the topics and nominate other individuals to chair and participate in each Scientific Group.The Council will formally announce the final decision on the approved proposals before the end of May 2016. The President may assign a Council Member to help the Group in scientific matters and in the preparation and execution of planned activities. 

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