Kevin T. LeichtDirector, ISRC

Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology

The Iowa Social Science Research Center (ISRC):Enhancing Social Science Research Efforts at The

University of Iowa

Help faculty, research staff and graduate students across campus with 1. Identification of funding opportunities2. Grant applications and pre-award preparation3. Other grant support (including post-award

supervision and accounting)4. Primary data collection (surveys. etc)5. Data entry and data cleaning

Activities at the ISRC

ISRC DATA

COLLECTION SERVICES:

MODES

• Telephone• Web-

based• Mail-back• Face-to-

face• Focus

groups

Data collection methods

Four permanent staff (1.25 university-funded positions):1. Kristi Fitzpatrick, Associate Director • Grant identification and submission, IRB, post-award

administration, communications, and outreach; 2. Lisa Werner, Field Director • Data collection project manager, costs/bids; 3. Ashley McDonald, Project Administrator (see #2 above)4. Erin Shane, Project Administrator (see #2 above)3. Ben Earnhart, Information and Technology Support;4. Sarah Minkes, Survey Research Coordinator (new hire)5. We’re searching for an IT person right now.

Staffing of the ISRC

- Worked with 17 departments and units across every college on our campus (all 11 colleges)

- Submitted 55 grant proposals for faculty and students (21 to NSF – 55 total in 2012-2013).- $1 million awarded and 19 grants still pending

(5 grants to first-timers connected to SSFI)- 12 survey projects in the field

- 9 pending survey projects scheduled through 2013, 7 other bids outstanding;

- Trained students in survey research methodology

through the Hawkeye Poll (since 2009 N~500; 40

students currently on payroll).

CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS (July 1, 2012-PRESENT)

• Point location for UI involvement in the CIC-levelCenter for the Advanced Study of International Competitiveness – (15 faculty on the UI campus – all colleges)– Meetings in Chicago April 1st-2nd, 2011; Hong

Kong, June 5th-8th, 2012; Ann Arbor, Michigan, April 28th/29th, 2013). http://www.cic.net/home/Faculty/casic.aspx

Additional activities via ISRC

• Official State Census Data Center.• Contact for the ICPSR data archive.• Represent the university to COSSA (the

Consortium of Social Science Associations, a lobbying group that supports social science funding in Washington)

Additional activities via ISRC

• Assist researchers across campus to identify,

obtain and administers grants

• Assist with retaining high-quality faculty by

providing these services

• Provide support that helps to change culture

and encourage more grant applications

• Train students in survey methods through

Hawkeye poll

• Hire students for good paying jobs while

providing research experience

Successful Benefits of ISRC