Research Associate
Johns Hopkins University
Applications are invited for a three-year position in the Institute for Data-Intensive Engineering and Science (IDIES) at Johns Hopkins University. The successful applicant will lead a program of qualitative and quantitative research into an emerging field of science education. The research program consists of a series of in-depth online interviews that will be analyzed using qualitative research methods such as coding and ethnographic studies. Results from these studies will be turned into survey instruments that will be administered to a larger population.
The successful applicant will work to understand the emerging field of "online citizen science," in which members of the general public analyze online data to help with a publishable scientific research project. An example of this approach is Galaxy Zoo (www.galaxyzoo.org), a project in which volunteers from the public classify the shapes of galaxies to help with a series of astronomy research projects. In addition to performing the main task, some volunteers choose to engage more deeply, by joining the social community of the Galaxy Zoo forum or by engaging in self-directed research projects. Our research program studies what elements of the dataset and citizen science task influence volunteers' motivation to participate in citizen science at these various levels.
Applicants must have a master's or doctoral degree in a social science field (education preferred), and a strong background in qualititative research and instrument design.
To Apply:
E-mail resume and 2 references to Jordan Raddick at raddick@jhu.edu (phone 410-516-8889)
