Facilities and Resources

WHAT WE DO:
Our basic mission is 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. Our facilities include a statistics and computing laboratory,  seminar space, and a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing facility. We also provide assistance with social science-related grant writing, processing, accounting and post-award paperwork, and assistance addressing human subjects issues.

Statistics and Computing:
The Social Science Research Center houses an eight- station computing and statistics laboratory for use by affiliated faculty and graduate students. Computers are equipped with software, RAM and hard disks to accommodate virtually any computing need. Software packages include STATA, SAS, SPSS, S-PLUS, and LISREL, among others.
Question about computing facilities can be directed to Ben Earnhart: Benjamin-earnhart@uiowa.edu, (319) 335-2887.

ASSISTANCE WITH GRANT WRITING AND ADMINISTRATION
The Social Science Research Center provides assistance with all phases of social science-related grant writing and administration from project development to grants accounting and record keeping. These services include:
(1) helping you develop your grant proposal;
(2) reviewing and critiquing your grant proposal;
(3) identifying funding sources:
(4) preparation of grant budgets and justifications;
(5) assistance with facilities statements and other university-related paperwork;
(6) interface with the Office of Sponsored Programs at The University of Iowa;
(7) Grants accounting and report writing for granting agencies.
For more information or to seek grant assistance, contact Kevin Leicht: Kevin-leicht@uiowa.edu, (319) 335-0819; (319) 353-2813.

HUMAN SUBJECTS AND IRB ASSISTANCE
The Social Science Research Center helps in the development of protocols for seeking IRB approvals for social science-related research projects.  The SSRC is currently developing a set of standard protocols for CATI survey and web-based survey research instruments.
For more information on these services, contact Kevin Leicht: Kevin-leicht@uiowa.edu, (319) 335-0819; (319) 353-2813.

SEMINARS ON TIMELY INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL SCIENCE TOPICS
This year, the Social Science Research Center will sponsor several speakers who will focus on state-of-the-art developments in social science research methodology. These presentations will be announced in mid to late September. Stay tuned for further developments.

COMPUTER-ASSISTED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING FACILITIES
The SSRC has a state-of-the-art telephone interviewing facility with 15 stations. This is the facility that has been used for the elections 2008 public opinion polling (http://www.uiowa.edu/election/news-events/index.html).  The SSRC staff is available to The University of Iowa community for consultation on survey research issues and to discuss survey research projects and needs. For further details and information, contact David Redlawsk: david-redlawsk@uiowa.edu; (319) 335-0819; (319) 334-2352.