Carolina Survey Research Laboratory has new name, new leadership
| November 17, 2011 | |||||
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Things are changing at the center formerly known as the Survey Research Unit (SRU), based in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health’s biostatistics department. Founded in 1990, the SRU has received wide acclaim for its expertise in designing surveys and questionnaires. One of the changes is in its name. The center’s new moniker, Carolina Survey Research Laboratory (CSRL), reflects its broad impact not only in the public health school, but also across the university.
Another change is in leadership. William Kalsbeek, PhD, professor of biostatistics, has entered phased retirement after 21 years of running the research unit. Biostatisticians Donglin Zeng, PhD, Robert Agans, PhD, and J. Michael Bowling, PhD, are taking on new leadership roles in the lab.
Under Kalsbeek’s direction, the CSRL grew from a 1,000-square-foot operation with 12 calling stations to a modern 5,000-square-foot center with 45 calling stations, three monitoring stations, and the capacity to conduct telephone, mail, web, interactive voice response (IVR) and mixed-mode surveys. It is a leader in survey methods research specializing in cell phone and respondent-driven sampling.
Zeng, Agans and Bowling all have unique skills and strengths to lead the CSRL into the next era of population-based research at UNC, says Michael Kosorok, PhD, biostatistics professor and department chair.
Zeng, co-director of the CSRL and associate professor of biostatistics, has published extensively on statistical methods for biased sampling data arising from observational or clinical settings in medical, epidemiologic and social studies. His expertise is in developing novel approaches in sample designs involving multiple frames, network-based sampling or other complex designs. He has developed efficient methods for analyzing post-survey data.
Agans, co-director of the CSRL and research associate in the department, has worked closely with Kalsbeek at the CSRL for the past decade. He brings considerable experience managing operations at the lab, budgeting data collection projects, writing proposals and grants, supervising staff and students, and directing data collection efforts. Agans’ particular expertise is in questionnaire design and development.
Bowling, assistant director of the CSRL, is a research associate professor of health behavior and health education and adjunct faculty member in biostatistics. He also is a senior biostatistician with UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and associate director for research at the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center. Bowling has considerable experience in designing and managing large-scale survey projects, many of which involve multi-staged complex survey designs. He has worked with the CSRL since its inception.
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu. |
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