Has Distance to Family Historically shaped Human Survival?
The influence of geographic distance to core kin on adult human
survival over the last three centuries
In humans and other animals, social integration and support from
kin are important drivers of reproduction and survival. Recent
economic and demographic transitions in human societies have
transformed human social networks—from multi-generational,
kin-centered structures of our evolutionary past to smaller, more
dispersed and less kin-oriented networks that characterize modern
societies. Our research team (Lummaa lab) investigates how these
changes in social/kin networks since the 18th century have shaped
reproduction and survival patterns. We are now looking for a MSc
student to lead a project looking specifically at the question:
How does geographic distance to kin influences adult survival?
The internship will include a literature review, demanding statistical analyses, the write-up of a thesis and ideally a paper.
Needed skills
- Coding in R
- Statistics (ideally, experience in linear models and/or survival
analysis)
- Fluency in English
- Interest in evolutionary biology and life-history
You will learn to:
- Handle very large datasets (>100.000 individuals; ~300 years)
- Analyze longitudinal data
- Write scientific articles
- Work in an international and interdisciplinary team
Supervisors:
- Dr Nikolaos Smit (nismit@utu.fi)
- MSc Veera Schroderus (vischr@utu.fi)
- Prof Virpi Lummaa
Department of biology, University of Turku (FINLAND)
We respect work-life balance, and value equality and diversity in
our work community and encourage qualified applicants, regardless
of background, to apply for our open positions!
This project is based on already collected data and does not
involve field work. We cannot provide financial help, but we can
support applications for mobility grants.
Apply by October 31st sending an email to both addresses above
with a cover letter (1 page max; summarizing motivation and
research interest) and CV (including education, positions,
professional experience, and contact details of two academic
referees).
Start date: between November 2025 and January 2026
Duration: 4-6 months
Location: University of Turku, Finland