The Population Research Institute: Computational and Spatial Analysis

Project Summary: PRI Computational and Spatial Analysis Core The Computational and Spatial Analysis (CSA) core is the innovation driver for the Population Research Institute (PRI), infusing cutting-edge methodological approaches across PRI’s primary research areas to advance population dynamics research. The CSA core has scientific expertise and research support capacity in data integration across multiple dimensions and scales, spatial statistics, social media analytics, innovative and nontraditional data collection and analysis, and social network analysis. Through its specific aims, the CSA core provides access to methodological expertise from project development through completion and dissemination. The CSA core has four specific aims. First, the core supports the use of multi-dimensional, multi-scale spatiotemporal data. This includes the integration and analysis of large spatial, historical, individual, and contextual datasets. Second, the core provides services in multifaceted data support, programming, statistical and social network expertise, and spatial statistics and analysis for innovative interdisciplinary population research. These services also reduce investigator burden by ensuring compliance with data providers and external agency regulations as well as access to a variety of demographic and health data. Third, the CSA core provides resources and expertise in innovative Big Data and social media analytics for population research. PRI is a leader in the use of social media data to advance population science. Fourth, the core integrates cutting-edge methodologies into population research across PRI’s primary research areas with workshops and mentoring. Although these activities are accessible to population scientists within and beyond PRI, they are tailored to be responsive to the needs of junior scientists and to advance their competitiveness for external funding and to raise the impact of their contributions to population research in collaboration with the Development core. The CSA core is co-directed by senior population scientists supported by an expert advisory board. The core is staffed efficiently to maximize research productivity and exploit existing data and methodological infrastructure.