Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Behavioral & Family Support
Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

A significant need exists in education for scholars with the knowledge and skills to conduct rigorous intervention research. This fellowship opportunity integrates active, school-based research in school-wide positive behavior support and family intervention. Young scholars who are just completing, or are within 3 years of having completed, their Ph.D., spend two years in intense, professional development within research work-groups at the University of Oregon.

Research fellows benefit from existing, funded programs of scholarship available at the University of Oregon. Drs. Horner and Dishion direct or co-direct seven major research efforts in school-wide positive behavior support and family systems intervention. These projects are funded by IES, OSEP, NICHD, NIDA, and NIAAA, and offer access to 2800 schools across 32 states, and over 2000 families. Of particular importance is access to extant databases that allows research fellows the opportunity to conduct post-hoc analysis as part of their training. One database contains over 3 million office discipline referrals from 1600 schools. Another includes direct observation data from over 2000 students, and families. Together these projects and databases provide research fellows with (a) an active and high-quality research environment, (b) an array of projects for active participation, and (c) databases that allow immediate opportunity for applying statistical and design skills.

The University of Oregon provides a learning community that offers research fellows formal courses to expand their skills in grant writing, hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling, single subject design, sequential analysis, cost analysis, evaluation, and management of large-scale research efforts. Each research fellow will go through an initial assessment process to identify his/her strengths and training objectives. An individualized professional development plan will be created within the first three months of the fellowship that defines a plan for auditing graduate courses, participating in on-going research projects, and conducting independent research. Each research fellow will end his/her two year training period with a written grant proposal, two empirical papers (at least 1 first authored), the skills needed to conduct highly rigorous educational scholarship in behavioral and family support interventions, and a personal program of research that may guide their professional activity for the next 3-5 years.