MPSDS Celebrates 20 Years of Excellence in Survey and Data Science
The Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science (MPSDS) — the only degree-granting academic program within the Institute for Social Research (ISR) — celebrated its 20th anniversary on Thursday, March 16, 2023.
More than 100 members of the MPSDS community gathered to mark the occasion, including alumni, current students, faculty, staff, and friends of the program. The celebration began with a reception in the ISR/Thompson atrium, followed by a dinner in the Rogel Ballroom at the Michigan Union.
Keynote speakers included:
- Kate Cagney, Director of Institute of Social Research (ISR)
- Former Survey Research Center (SRC) Directors, Jim House and Bob Groves (joined by three other recent SRC directors)
- MPSDS alumni Frost Hubbard (MS ’06) and Rachel Levenstein (PhD ’10)
- Founding Program Director, Jim Lepkowski
Speakers reflected on the program’s origins within ISR, the SRC, and the Survey Methodology (research) program — which bridged the cultures within SRC (sampling, field, and data coding) — and its long-standing collaboration with the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland.
They also celebrated the program’s remarkable growth. As Jim Lepkowski recalled, “In the first year, we admitted three students; two came.” Today, MPSDS receives over 100 applications annually, and by the end of 2023, will have awarded:
- 157 MS degrees
- 33 PhDs
- 27 graduate certificates
It was a festive evening, filled with pride in the past and excitement for the future. The message was clear: the future of MPSDS is bright.
