The Iowa Social Science Research Center (ISRC):
Enhancing Social Science Research Efforts at
The University of Iowa (2009-present)
Kevin T. Leicht
Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and
Director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center
Outline
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The original mission statement
Where we are at right now
Research Support
Survey/data collection/IT support
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
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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??
ISRC DATA
COLLECTION
SERVICES:
MODES
• TELEPHONE DATA
COLLECTION
• WEB-BASED DATA
COLLECTION
• MAIL-BASED DATA
COLLECTION
• FACE-TO-FACE
INTERVIEW
• FOCUS GROUP
RECRUITING
POOL
FIELD STAFF
RESOURCES:
TECHNICAL
TRAINING
RESEARCH
PROCESSES
HUMAN
SUBJECTS
RIGHTS
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 graduate
Program 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. Leicht
Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and
Director of the Iowa Social Science Research Center