OPS - Post-Doctoral Researcher

The University of Florida (UF) Center for Arts in Medicine is recruiting a post-doctoral researcher for a one-year contract with the possibility of renewal for an additional year based on performance and availability of funds. The contract will begin March 1, 2023, and finish February 28, 2024. The researcher will work full-time on a complex mixed methods research agenda associated with the One Nation/One Project initiative.

About One Nation/One Project

One Nation/One Project is a national initiative designed to catalyze the role that collective and community arts practice can serve in the public health arena as American cities emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. One Nation/One Project is working with 18 cities, towns, and villages to simultaneously premiere distinct, collaborative, and participatory art works on an unprecedented scale and to develop sustainable structures for deep collaboration between the arts, public health, and municipal sectors.

The initiative seeks to answer the primary question: How can arts participation in communities influence social cohesion, health outcomes, and wellbeing? Our theory of change, drawn from the recent We-Making initiative, is that “place-based arts and cultural strategies can contribute uniquely to building social cohesion in communities and that, in turn, social cohesion can cultivate equitable community wellbeing” (Engh et al., 2021).

The Center for Arts in Medicine (CAM) in the College of the Arts is committed to advancing research, education, and practice in arts in health, locally, and globally. Three overarching tenets ground and guide the work and culture of CAM:

• The field of arts in health is built on a broad array of histories and practices at the intersections of the arts, culture, and health; therefore, we embrace a broad range of practice in our education, research, and practice.
• Each and every life has equal value and potential; therefore, we are committed to equity and anti-racism in our teaching, research, and practice.
• We exist to advance evidence-based practice in arts in health; therefore, we seek the integration of teaching, research, and practice.

Description of Work

Using a community-based participatory research approach, we will undertake a convergent mixed methods study with explanatory elements to explore associations between arts participation, social cohesion, and wellbeing in 12-18 U.S. communities. In addition, an array of unique and common health outcomes will be assessed within and across the communities. Findings from individual community studies and national data will be integrated to create overarching meta-inferences that will inform a theory of change or conceptual model potentially illustrating relationships between arts participation, social cohesion, and wellbeing, as well as potential health outcomes. ONOP will publish and disseminate individual study findings as well as of the resulting theory of change or conceptual model.

In our approach to research and evaluation, we value a broad range of ways of knowing. We prioritize participatory and arts-based research methods for data collection, analysis, and translation. Our approach values social relationships, interactions, practices, lived experiences and perspectives, narratives and stories, artworks, and creative and cultural expression. It holds at its core a commitment to advancing equity, multi-cultural validity, participant ownership, and participatory action approaches that value the co-creation of knowledge and change by community members and researchers in equitable partnership.

The post-doctoral researcher will work with the director of national research and impact, two research coordinators, the team of research and impact associates, the statistical team, the Mapmakers coordinator, and Community Mapmakers Groups to undertake research and evaluation of the initiative, including data collection, analysis, integration, and translation. The post-doctoral researcher will:

• Attend weekly team meetings
• Participate in two weekly Lab sessions
• Conduct literature reviews
• Assist with data collection in communities, both remotely and on-site
• Oversee data management with initiative team members, partners, and community sites
• Participate in data analysis and integration
• Produce monthly evaluation reports
• Co-author research articles in collaboration with the research and impact team

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty, seeking faculty of all races, ethnicities, genders, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. 

THE CENTER FOR ARTS IN MEDICINE: Housed in the College of the Arts, the Center for Arts in Medicine is committed to advancing research, education, and practice in the arts in health, locally and globally. The Center facilitates research, education, and training in the use of the arts to enhance health in healthcare and public health contexts. The Center provides a framework for interdisciplinary collaboration among University of Florida faculty and students, healthcare providers, clinical artists, and our local and global communities. The Center develops and effects interdisciplinary research studies through its two research labs, and educational curricula on all levels. The Center serves as a national model for the arts in health research, education, and training. The Center provides certificate and degree programs, including MA and graduate certificates in Arts in Medicine and Arts in Public Health, and undergraduate certificates across disciplines. For more information, visit www.arts.ufl.edu/cam .

THE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS: The mission of the College of the Arts is to be a transformative community, responding to and generating paradigmatic shifts in the arts and beyond.  We achieve the university’s mission by training professionals and educating students as artists and scholars, while developing their capacities for critical study, creative practice, and provocation.  The College offers baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. Approximately 1,700 students are pursuing majors in degrees offered by the College of the Arts under the direction of 130 faculty members in its three accredited schools— the School of Art + Art History, the School of Music, and the School of Theatre + Dance, and in the Center for Arts in Medicine, the Digital Worlds Institute, and the Center for Arts, Migration, and Entrepreneurship. In addition, the college comprises the University Galleries, and the University level of the New World School of the Arts in Miami. 

The University of Florida: The University of Florida is a comprehensive learning institution built on a land grant foundation, ranked one of the top five best public universities in the nation in U.S. News & World Report. We are The Gator Nation, a diverse community dedicated to excellence in education and research and shaping a better future for Florida, the nation and the world. Our mission is to enable our students to lead and influence the next generation and beyond for economic, cultural and societal benefit. UF is a graduate research institution with more than 50,000 students and membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Gainesville, which is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s most livable cities, is located midway between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

$75,000 annual salary + benefits. Relocation reimbursement may be negotiated.

PhD
Understanding of principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in research, community engagement, and teamwork.

• Research Methods
  • Understanding of mixed methods approaches, including data integration methods
  • Experience and skills in thematic analysis
  • Experience and skills in basic descriptive statistics
  • Understanding of Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) Methods
  • Experience with data management
• Writing and Communication
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Academic/research writing
• DEIA
  • Understanding of principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in research, community engagement, and teamwork

Application Materials

• A statement of interest outlining professional goals and objectives, and a description of the skills and experiences that the candidate will bring to bear in the work of the post-doc position.
• An up-to-date academic CV
• Most recent academic transcripts
• Academic writing sample - ideally a recent research paper
• References - Names and contact information for a minimum of three (maximum of five) individuals. Recommenders may be contacted via email or phone.

For additional questions:

Dr. Jill Sonke
Director of National Research and Impact, One Nation/One Project
jill@onenationoneproject.com

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.