What's next, Dr. Duncan?
Dr. Austin Duncan tabling for the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities at Disability Pride Tucson, 2023, during his postdoc position with the Center. With him is the center’s director Jacy Farkas and staff member Paavlena Madhivanan.
Dr. Austin Duncan was recently hired as an assistant professor at Lehigh University’s College of Health in Pennsylvania, where he is continuing his research in how social networks engage in the built environment and how those environments support people with disabilities. Dr. Duncan finished his postdoc position at the U of A Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities in June of this year.
Dr. Duncan was an excellent candidate for the position at Lehigh due to his specialty in social networks for disabled individuals and the programs he developed while at the U of A. As assistant professor, he is not only teaching health science courses but also collaborating with researchers in architecture and psychology to investigate how public spaces can inspire wellness and health for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Duncan was asked to teach a new class, “Disabilities and Society,” in the Spring, which is a course he designed and taught during his time as a U of A postdoc. Additionally, while a postdoc, he helped create a neurodiversity student association called the Autistic and Neurodiverse Student Association (ANDSA), which he was also asked to initiate at Lehigh in collaboration with their Disabled Student Services department.
A medical anthropologist by training, Dr Duncan’s field requires effective interdisciplinary communication. He stated that his time as a postdoc helped fine-tune that skill through his communications with medical professionals, patients, individuals with disabilities, and others. Dr. Duncan’s job search was successful, in part because he looked broadly for job openings around the country and discovered that his new work at Lehigh could build directly on his UofA research.
Dr. Duncan suggests starting early on gathering professional materials and creating independent research opportunities. He encourages current postdocs to enjoy Tucson, like the high-quality taco and food shops, even in stressful times. “Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t do it all. Prioritize your mental health… drop everything and go for a hike.”
See Dr. Duncan’s Lehigh faculty bio here: https://health.lehigh.edu/faculty/duncan-austin