Aging in Data Postdoctoral Fellowship
Research program title: Datafied co-design of care robots for older people
Institution: Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Supervisor: Galit Nimrod
Co-Supervisor: Alex Peine, Open University of The Netherlands
Duration: 1 Year, non-renewable
Annual Salary: CAD 80,000
Program description
Aging in Data is an interdisciplinary and multi-methodological research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada to investigate aging in an era of unprecedented digital data-gathering. The AiD research team spans a dozen countries and brings together researchers and organizations that see age as more than a number or a variable; age provides a lens to reflect upon an increasingly datafied world.
Technology is thought to have the potential to address the needs of older persons and improve their wellbeing. Nevertheless, aging and older persons in the context of technology are commonly discoursed in terms of frailty, cognitive decline, and dependency. Focusing on negative (and often ageist) perceptions about older persons may fundamentally influence how digital technologies are designed, what and how data is collected, and if and how they are eventually used.
This post-doc project would investigate how datafication processes form through the involvement of older persons in the design process of care robots. The project will examine the perspectives of different stakeholders and the change in attitudes after working together in co-designing. The chosen candidate will be based at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Beer-Sheva, Israel) and will work with an international interdisciplinary team of scholars and students.
Eligibility requirements
- The candidate must not have completed their doctoral degree before January 1, 2018;
- The candidate must not hold a permanent faculty position or a faculty position leading to permanency;
- The candidate must not hold another full-time postdoctoral position at the same time;
- The candidate must be eligible to be legally hired and paid in Israel;
- The candidate must reside within a reasonable distance of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (this is not a remote or virtual position)
- The candidate must have an academic background related to aging, media and/or STS.
- The candidate must master qualitative research methods, including the data collection and analysis of interviews and observations.
- The candidate must be fluent in speaking, reading, and writing English. Mastering Hebrew would be a considerable advantage but not mandatory.
Timeline
The Postdoctoral fellow must start their one-year appointment between September 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.
Submission process
Submit all documents listed below to Constance Lafontaine, Associate Director of AiD (constance.lafontaine@concordia.ca) by May 1, 2023, with the subject line “AiD Postdoctoral Fellowship.”
- Two-page research statement demonstrating fit with the program described above
- Current curriculum vitae demonstrating research excellence, a potential for significant contributions to the domain, and a capacity for leadership (maximum 5 pages)
- Writing sample – a published article or a chapter from the Ph.D. Dissertation
- Two letters of reference from academic supervisors or employers are to be sent via email directly to Constance Lafontaine
This opportunity is supported by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in Canada and by ABC Robotics at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
If you have any questions regarding the application, please contact Constance Lafontaine (constance.lafontaine@concordia.ca)