I haven’t posted in a while, so I figured I would give an update of what I have been working on and where my research/coursework is going. I have successfully completed 2 years of my Ph.D. at Ohio State. I will be taking classes in fall and winter quarters and then in the spring I will be taking my comprehensive exams. So far my committee is composed of Prof. Lance Holbert (chair) and Prof. Chip Eveland.
My research is progressing well. I have sent out two articles for publication and one conference paper so far this summer. My primary research interest, perceived network connection, is coming along fine and I hope to sent out a paper by the October or November. I will post more information about that as soon as I can. If you have any questions about this research please e-mail me.
Beyond just my connection research, I am also working with Prof. Sohn on some research looking at the spiral of silence. We hope to have a simulation based paper out in the next few months. Prof. Nelbo (political science) and I have also began to work on a paper looking at the effects of online political discussion on individual’s perceptions about their government. Lastly, Prof. Nisbet and I are finishing up at paper examining the effects of online social network usage on political outcomes during the 2008 presidential election.
This is just a quick round up of what I am working on. I will try to keep updating this. Specifically, trying to keep my connection research page current.
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Dear friends,
Most of you know me and know I do not like to talk about either personal or serious things. But the gravity and importance of this issue requires me to send this note and solicit your help. Three years ago today, my father Robert Geidner died of pancreatic cancer. For the first 50 years of his life he was a very healthy, happy human being. Then eight months after his diagnosis, I was reading his eulogy and saying my goodbyes.
Unfortunately, my father is not the only person to lose his battle to this disease. Nearly 38,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, but more staggeringly over 34,000 American will die this year of this disease. To put this in context, breast cancer will cause just over 40,000 deaths this year. The survival rates for pancreatic cancer are also shocking. The one-year survival rate is under 20%. The five-year survival rate is under 4%. But the most shocking statistic is that currently pancreatic cancer research makes up less than 2% of the National Cancer Institute’s research funding.
How can you help? In honor of my father take 5 minutes out of your day and call your congressperson and ask them to support H.R. 745: The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act. Among other things, this bill would launch a government-funded Pancreatic Cancer Research Initiative to spearhead the much needed research in to this deadly disease.
H.R. 745 was introduced to the House in January. It has been assigned to the Commerce and Energy committee, where it has stalled. A number of congresspeople in the districts a lot of us live (e.g., Youngstown and Columbus) are not currently co-sponsors of this bill. Your lobbying could help.
Also please forward this message to everyone you know.
To find your congressperson’s contact information go here:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
For more information on how you can fight pancreatic cancer go here:
http://www.pancan.org
For more information on H.R. 745 go here:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-745
Thanks,
Nick Geidner
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So I am going to try to blog again. We’ll see if it works. I doubt it. But we’ll see. I more than anything just need to get writing regularly again. I think it really helped me and now I am sort of out of practice. Anyway, we are 5 days out from the election. I am in the first quarter of the second year of my Ph.D. at The Ohio State University.
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