MSSP Provides Statistical Consulting for Social Scientists
Did you know that statistical consulting is available for research projects large and small?
Since the Master of Science in Statistical Practice (MSSP) program began back in 2015, their free consulting service has served the needs of approximately 70-80 Boston University researchers per year, representing fields as diverse as music education, sociology, education, political science, physics, health sciences, archaeology, neuroscience, and many more.
Their consultants, MSSP students under the supervision of doctoral students and faculty mentors, are trained to provide a variety of problem-solving services, including project planning, statistical / machine learning methods selection, data analysis, and report development.
You may request a consultation with one of their teams through a simple web-based form on the MSSP Consulting website (https://sites.bu.edu/mssp-consulting/).
Their Fall 2022 schedule for consultations is:
– Mondays, 10:00am-12:00pm
– Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30pm
– Fridays, 10:00am-12:00pm
One of their teams will reach out within 1-3 days after your request via the web-based form has been processed.
The scope of your consultation can vary in duration, from single meetings through long-term collaborations, as determined after your initial discussion with the consultation team. Here are some of the longer-term supports and services provided:
- Introduce research assistants to those looking for capable students. MSSP students go through intense training in statistics and machine learning. If you are interested in RA introduction please email their GPA (natmart@bu.edu).
- House research faculties that provide concentrated support. They currently have a research faculty whose effort is shared between SAR, SED, and SSW. The role of the research faculty varies depending on the discipline. However, they often tend to fill the void between grant application preparation to a fully grant-supported relationship. Schools like SAR uses this position to provide research support to smaller projects and newer faculties. If your program or your department would like to consider supporting a research faculty please email Masanao Yajima (yajima@bu.edu).
- Engage in semester-long collaborative projects that match the educational goals of the program. This is a case-by-case offering and MSSP will need to prioritize the projects based on the educational value it provides for their students, although there will be a dedicated faculty supervisor that will ensure the quality of the deliverables. If you have a project that you would like to discuss please email Masanao Yajima (yajima@bu.edu).