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

The University of Iowa (2009-present)

Kevin T. LeichtProfessor and Chair, Department of Sociology and

Director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center

Outline

1. The original mission statement2. Where we are at right now 3. Research Support 4. Survey/data collection/IT support 5. Progress and pitfalls

Original Mission: to provide social science research infrastructure and make it available to a wide variety of constituents who conduct social scientific research at The University of Iowa

Progress so far: (Fall 2009 – present):1. We are an affiliate of the Public Policy Center under our Office

for the Vice President of Research, with additional oversight by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

2. We are, officially, the Iowa Social Science Research Center (ISRC)

(an outgrowth of a preliminary research endeavor, the Iowa Institute for Inequality Studies, founded in 2004-2005)

3. Our website: http://www.isrc.uiowa.edu

Progress so far: (Fall 2009 – present):4. We have three permanent staff (1.25 university-funded

positions):-- Kristi Fitzpatrick as Associate Director in charge of

administration, grants, IRB, post-award administration, communications, and outreach (1/2 OVPR; ½ CLAS).

-- Lisa Werner as Field Director in charge of the call center, data collection, survey expenses, data collection supervision, and data collection costs/bids (1/2 OVPR; survey F&A).

Assisted by: Ben Earnhart, Information and Technology Support (1/4 OVPR; ¾ CLAS – The OVPR portion is being replaced by survey F&A this year).

Progress so far: (Fall 2009 – present):5. We are now helping faculty and graduate students with grant

applications and pre-award preparation.6. We are now fielding surveys and providing other grant

support (including post-award supervision and accounting). 7. We’ve engaged in outreach to social science cognate

departments and units on our campus (most promising area is public health)

Progress so far: (Fall 2009 – present):8. We are dialoging with the new director and staff of the IRB.9. We are the point location for UI involvement in the CIC-level

Center for the Advanced Study of International Competitiveness (15 faculty on the UI campus – all colleges) – meeting in Chicago April 1st-2nd, 2011). http://www.cic.net/home/Faculty/casic.aspx

Progress so far: (Fall 2009 – present):10. We’re officially a State Census Data Center.11. We are your contact for the ICPSR data archive.12. We represent the university to COSSA (the Consortium of

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

2011-2012 HIGHLIGHTS:- Submitted 43 grant proposals for faculty and students - ~$10

million in funding. $790K awarded and 19 grants still pending;

- Scheduled eight new survey projects (funded by faculty research grants), added seven new projects that will start in early 2013, have nine pending survey projects scheduled through 2013 and seven other bids outstanding;

- Worked with 17 departments and units across every college on our campus;

- Trained students in survey research methodology through the Hawkeye Poll.

2011-2012 HIGHLIGHTS:-- New research (NIH) on data confidentiality and contextual

information in public-release data sets ($2.5 million, five years, with ISR at Michigan).

-- Preparing to start a multidisciplinary pilot project with the CIC-Center for International Competitiveness (tentative title, “Human Capital: The Buy vs. Make Decision”).

Funding Trends in Social Science Research

•Interdisciplinary •Institutional diversity•Collaboration outside institution•Research experiences and training for undergraduates, graduates, and Post Docs•Global perspective•Research with public policy implications•The funding environment in Washington??

OFFERING TO RESEARCHERS:

● CLEAN DATA● EXPERIENCED STAFF● PROCESS MANAGEMENT● COMMUNICATION

Lessons, Problems, and Pitfalls: The Context-- a privately funded, state-supported university with a history of student

centeredness -- a national identification as an arts/humanities campus.-- small departments – historical acheivements.-- inconsistent signals about the role of research at an R01 university-- a strong tradition of dean autonomy, minimal central administrative

oversight, and poorly supported research infrastructural services -- the Iowa Social Science Institute (Arthur Miller)

Lessons, Problems, and Pitfalls:-- The ISRC was a bottom-up effort. -- Don’t expect a happy reception – you’re stepping on toes here. -- communicate and maintain good relationships with administrators

(like a good marriage).-- the “If/Then” trap. Think ahead several moves; be prepared with a

positive plan; present your positive plan neutrally.--directly address incentives – people need positive reasons to join up

with you that are tangible.

Lessons, Problems, and Pitfalls:-- work to stop faculty turnover and raiding.-- accounting and funding issues – sticking to the plan and have a sustainable plan

(this is more difficult than it looks).-- fill the information void on your campus with comparative information (”if

Purdue does X, Michigan does X, Indiana does X, and Wisconsin does X….WHY DO WE DO Y?!?!?”)

-- focus on developing an independent funding base. This is probably critical to long-term success.

-- Big Question: Do you need a substantive focus and,If so, what would it be?? (don’t jump at just anything)

New Directions We’re Headed:-- A better F&A cost-sharing formula. (presently not conducive).-- Employing social science faculty as consultants on grants and big projects

(reinvesting survey revenues).-- better space (we’re on our third location in four years).-- integration of all facilities – ISRC, Iowa Electronic Markets, Social Science

Departments, and the Public Policy Center – in one building.-- joint faculty appointments-- An interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduateProgram in social science research methodology

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

Iowa (2009-present)

Thank you!!

Kevin T. LeichtProfessor and Chair, Department of Sociology and

Director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center