|
|
Professors study U.S.
military life
By Mary Jester
Assistant
Campus Editor
Three researchers are collecting
data that will provide the U.S. military with a "report card" on the
quality of life of military defense families.
Shelley MacDermid, associate
professor of child development and family studies; Howard Weiss, associate
professor of psychological sciences; and Steve Green, professor of management,
will use the $8.4 million granted in May to run a series of studies
for four to five years.
They will investigate the
relationship between the quality of life and job-related outcomes. "We
think that our research can have important policy implications," said
Weiss. The military has been facilitating research on these issues for
many years.
Rather than following the
traditional approach of designing and proposing one study, MacDermid
and Weiss prepared a proposal explaining why they were qualified to
conduct research in this area. MacDermid has researched families and
Weiss has researched organizations.
Although the military requires
that the research measures the quality of life, they will also be able
to do research on related issues in which they have personal academic
interest. Weiss is interested in how an individual's spirituality affects
how military members deal with the life-threatening dangers and stresses
of their jobs.
MacDermid, Weiss and Green,
along with graduate students and two post-doctoral researchers, will
be involved in each study. However, MacDermid will focus on quality-of-life
surveys, which will provide what she calls a "report card" or an "annual
snapshot" for the military. The research team will collect data on a
large scale for thousands of military members and their families.
MacDermid said they will
conduct more revealing data from interviews with a small number of military
members and ask their evaluation of their job, their personal satisfaction
at work, at home and in the community. Interviews will reveal whether
they feel safe in their neighborhoods or have what they need to do their
jobs effectively. "Do they feel their coworkers are supportive?" said
MacDermid.
Weiss will conduct research
on identifying military-friendly organizations in the community. He
will assess what the private sector can do to help the military and
the kinds of policies in practice that the military can adopt.
Green said they are investigating
how to help spouses find meaningful and high-quality employment opportunities.
When a military member moves frequently, spouses have trouble developing
a career path. Green said dot-com jobs offer possibilities for military
members to have transferable jobs.
Green said their research
also asks the question of how military members' careers are affected
when spouses are unhappy with their careers. What a base commander can
do to improve the quality of military family life is also being researched.
|
Jischke
to form new office focused on fund raising
Professors
study U.S. military life
Purdue
scientists create new water-treatment system
Genomics
team receives grant
Entrepreneur
to visit Purdue, speak on success in business
CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
(765)
743-1111 ext. 253
Campus editor: Kelly
Lucas
Assistant campus
editors: Megan Finnerty,
Mary Jester
To
send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org
Agencies
still need volunteers for game
Jischke
introduces Purdue to consortium
Animal
clinic sponsors 'Rescue Fair'
Alumnus
to give space center lecture
County
attempts to fill volunteer positions
Purdue
competes with IU in blood drive
Various
speakers to present this week
Fitness
association to sponsor 5K run
Writing
lab continues workshop series
Community
center hosts reading
Program
to explain hearing problems
Psychologist
offers stress tips to women
Hospice
offers training for volunteers
Science
foundation to award fellowships
Purdue
offers decorating classes
Lafayette
YWCA to sell decorative pins
|
