Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed Methodologies established

ICQCM will eliminate ‘data science divide’ in grant-making

The Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed Methodologies (ICQCM) has been established at Washington University in St. Louis, thanks to a $500,559 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to Odis Johnson, professor of sociology and of education, both in Arts & Sciences.

Johnson

More than $1.1 million has been secured by Johnson and his partners from the NSF and the Spencer Foundation to support ICQCM.

The collaborative effort will be led by Johnson, associate director of the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity at the university, along with partners at Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania.

The grant is designed to mitigate the disparities in the number of underrepresented scholars that utilize quantitative and computational research methods and techniques.

“Our goal is to bring the brilliant minds of Latinx, indigenous and black scholars to bear on the social problem and potential of data science methodologies and eliminate the ‘data science divide’ within the nation’s grant-making apparatus,” Johnson said.

“In its first three to four years, ICQCM will provide several years of methods-training for each affiliated scholar, up to a total of 75,” he said. “ICQCM will also serve as a hub for the nation’s first network of leading data science methodologists of color, and as a repository of data science knowledge related to the examination and quantification of race/ethnicity in research.”

The institute aims to enable participants to incorporate quantitative and computational methods in conceptualizing research projects, establish collaborative networks of quantitative and computational research practitioners, and affirm self-efficacy of underrepresented faculty through culturally relevant, asset-focused training opportunities.

“The use of critical perspectives in race/ethnicity responds to a need for more underrepresented scholars to practice critical quantitative approaches in research to complement the larger number who practice critical qualitative approaches,” Johnson said.

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