By Sarah Geegan

 

Graduate students and faculty interested in brushing up on quantitative research methodology, software knowledge or grant-writing techniques should get to know QIPSR. The Quantitative Initiative of Policy and Social Research is an organization committed to enhancing quantitative research across various colleges at the University of Kentucky. 

 

QIPSR exists to support faculty, students, policy officials and the general public in developing cutting-edge research and analysis techniques. The initiative organizes a variety of events throughout the year, including research and statistical workshops; grant writing workshops; practical software workshops including a software festival introducing programs such as STATA, SAS, SPSS and others; and an annual conference.

QIPSR, based in the College of Arts and Sciences but committed to enhancing quantitative research across the UK campus, is led by sociology professor Thomas Janoski. 

 

"As new techniques are developed in statistical methodology, many times as a graduate student or a faculty member it can be difficult to keep up with new, cutting-edge methodological innovations," Janoski said. "So our planning is driven by faculty and graduate students who use  quantitative research methodologies, and who can showcase their efforts in their research in order to stay at the top of their respective fields." 

QIPSR will kick off the 2013-2014 school year with a Software Festival, taking place throughout five Fridays in September and October, on the 6th floor of the UK College of Nursing Building, each time from 2:30-5 p.m. 

 

• Friday, Sept. 13: STATA instructor: John Poe

• Friday, Sept. 20: R instructor: Yu Ouyang

• Friday, Sept. 27: SPSS instructor: Jennifer Jewell

• Friday, Oct. 4: SAS instructor :Mahdi Asgari

• Friday, Oct. 18: LaTeX instructor: Yu Ouyang 

 

Now in its fourth year, Janoski and his colleagues in QIPSR have also accumulated learning materials from past events, which serve as excellent instructional tools. These include videos, papers and Power points of presenters at previous events and are available on the QIPSR website.  

 

"The goal of QIPSR is to disseminate research findings that address significant policy challenges in the Commonwealth and the rest of the world," Janoski said. "We hope that faculty, students and staff at UK will take advantage of these opportunities, and encourage even more high-quality interdisciplinary research at the University of Kentucky." 

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Geegan, (859) 257-5365; sarah.geegan@uky.edu