Julia Mikolai

Dr Julia Mikolai is a Lecturer in Demography/Quantitative Population Geography in the Population and Health Research Group at the School of Geography and Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews. Her research focuses on demographic patterns and life course transitions, with particular expertise in children's life courses, family dynamics, residential mobility, and cross-national comparisons.

Dr Mikolai's research interests span multiple dimensions of demographic behavior and life course analysis. Her work examines how individuals navigate key life transitions including partnership formation and dissolution, fertility decisions, residential moves, and housing choices. She employs sophisticated longitudinal data analysis techniques to track these trajectories over time and across different national contexts. Her research particularly emphasizes the intersection of demographic processes with spatial mobility and housing circumstances, revealing how these factors shape life outcomes. A significant portion of her work focuses on immigrant populations and their demographic adaptation in host countries.

Analysis of Dr Mikolai's publication record shows consistent focus on life course transitions, particularly around partnership, fertility, and residential mobility. Her work frequently employs comparative approaches across European countries and utilizes advanced methodological techniques including sequence analysis and multistate event history models. A notable trend in her recent work is the expansion into pandemic-related demographic impacts, as evidenced by her research on mortality patterns during COVID-19, demonstrating her ability to address emerging population health challenges.

• ERC Starting Grant for the ChildLives project (funded by UKRI under the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme)

As Principal Investigator of the ChildLives project, Dr Mikolai leads a significant research initiative examining children's life courses through an ERC-funded grant. Her collaborative approach is evident in her extensive co-authorship network, particularly with researchers like Hill Kulu, with whom she has published multiple studies on partnership and fertility trajectories. While specific grant details beyond the ERC Starting Grant aren't provided in the available information, her publication record suggests involvement in multiple international research collaborations examining demographic patterns across national contexts.

Dr Mikolai is affiliated with the Population and Health Research Group at the University of St Andrews, which appears to be her primary research environment. This group provides the collaborative framework for her demographic research, particularly in the areas of population geography and life course analysis, with connections to broader European demographic research networks.