Research Lab
Life and Death Research Lab
Life and Death Research Lab is part of the End-of-Life and Death Scholars (Death Scholars, Inc.) academic research nonprofit. This lab comprises researchers, teaching faculty, and industry workers who co-write and co-publish research at the intersection of technological, organizational, and death-centered issues. We answer the question, “How does death organize life?”
The Lab’s mission is to support the professional research development of academic and industry research for members of the End-of-Life and Death Scholar (Death Scholars, Inc.) organization. We research, co-write, and co-publish peer-reviewed studies to further deepen an understanding of communication and social issues that intersect organizations, technology, policy, life precarities, and death.
To Join a Research Lab:
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1. Become A Member - Visit the Membership Portal
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2. Contact eoldeathscholars@gmail.com for onboarding and all questions
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We welcome new members and the opportunity to work with undergraduate and graduate students seeking the opportunity to publish in peer-reviewed journals. Our labs are completely remote and online to keep our accessibility commitments as an organization.
Lab Details
Policy Analysis and Advocacy
Our labs specialize in analyzing organizational policies (e.g., bereavement leave, end-of-life care protocols) and state-level policies that impact marginalized communities, grief support systems, and death care industries. By engaging in policy analysis, members learn how to evaluate and influence policies that shape real-world practices, gaining skills that are transferable to both academic research and industry roles.
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Methodological Diversity
We offer a wide range of research methodologies, from qualitative and quantitative analysis to mixed methods approaches, allowing members to engage in tailored research projects that align with their interests. This flexibility helps scholars and professionals alike build robust research portfolios that demonstrate their versatility and capacity to handle complex data sets, ultimately making them more competitive for academic and industry roles.
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Rhetorical Analysis and Intervention
In our labs, members also develop the ability to rhetorically analyze, interrogate, and intervene in inequitable systems. We train members to critically examine how language, policy, and organizational structures perpetuate inequality, particularly in death care, grief support, and end-of-life communication. Members learn to craft interventions that promote ethical, equitable change, a skillset that enhances their leadership potential in academic, nonprofit, and policy-driven environments.
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Career Trajectories
By participating in our research labs, members not only produce peer-reviewed publications but also gain hands-on experience that prepares them for a wide range of career trajectories. Whether aiming for academia, nonprofit leadership, policy advocacy, or industry roles, our members leave with the skills and experience to make meaningful contributions to the evolving landscape of end-of-life care and death studies.
Research labs are nonprofit member-led internal programs, spanning several universities and time zones. Broadly, these labs support the communication and collaboration of members seeking to produce peer-reviewed academic publications. Our goal, across labs, is to create research that fosters ethical and humane organizational and state-wide policies related to end-of-life, death, and bereavement topics. We seek to apply our research and intervene in environments that are impacted by death.