Four people sitting around table having a discussion.

What we offer

The CSSRP offers training and learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty and staff, the community and professional organizations. The Centre also provides expert research support services and sponsors speakers series designed to break down disciplinary silos and mobilize social science research to the wider community.

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    Research Services

    Our team can help businesses, non-profits, government and academics achieve their research goals. We offer research services for hire including design consultations, ethics, data collection and analysis, staff training and more.

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    Workshops

    Our workshops aim to enhance training and professional development for students, UM faculty and staff, professional organizations and the broader Manitoba community. All workshops offer unique opportunities to engage in practical, applied and experiential learning in a variety of topics related to research methodologies and policy-related issues.

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    Speakers and Outreach Series

    The Social Science Speakers Series highlights outstanding social science research at UM and creates opportunities for social scientists-both students and faculty-to learn about one another's research. The Public Policy Talks Series provides outreach opportunities for UM academics to present and discuss their research within the wider community in Manitoba.

For more information on any of our offerings, or to be added to our mailing list, please email us at cssrp@umanitoba.ca.

Upcoming events

  • Writing an Op Ed

    Thursday, November 23, 2023
    12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
    201 Isbister Building

    You want to disseminate your research findings beyond just academic outlets and publicize those findings to a wider audience. But how? Op eds are an ideal way to do so but boiling your research down into 800 catchy words can be a challenge, so it may help to learn from someone who has mastered this translation. Drawing on his experience writing a regular op ed for the Winnipeg Free Press, Royce Koop will provide practical tips on how academics can tackle the op ed. This short workshop is especially relevant for faculty members and graduate and senior undergraduate students who want their research to reach a wider audience.

    Facilitator: Dr. Royce Koop, Professor, Political Studies and Academic Director, CSSRP

    Limited seats available.

    Register

  • Text for C.S.S.R.P. event.
  • Mixed Methods: A "Bayesian" Approach

    Wednesday, December 13, 2023
    9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Virtual via Zoom

    Presenter: Dr. Gregory Mason, Associate Professor, Economics

    Many social science research projects, especially program evaluations use “mixed methods.”  The implicit assumption is that multiple lines of evidence offer more validity and reliability for any research study.  While generally true, what does it mean to say one is using mixed methods? Under what conditions can mixed methods lead research astray? And most importantly, how does one synthesize/integrate evidence from multiple methods to construct a valid and reliable representation of social/economic reality?

    Register

    A Zoom link will be automatically emailed once registered.

  • Text for C.S.S.R.P. event.

Learn more about the Dec 13th workshop including target audience & prerequisites

Many social science research projects, especially program evaluations use “mixed methods.”  The implicit assumption is that multiple lines of evidence offer more validity and reliability for any research study.  While generally true, what does it mean to say one is using mixed methods? Under what conditions can mixed methods lead research astray? And most importantly, how does one synthesize/integrate evidence from multiple methods to construct a valid and reliable representation of social/economic reality?


This seminar presents a view of mixed methods as a process of progressive insight using an expanding knowledge base and recursion. The key idea is that all researchers start from an initial idea. Constructing a mixed methods research design supports the revision of earlier ideas based on an ever-stronger knowledge base. In this view, mixed methods comprise a Bayesian approach to truth-seeking. 


We will review each of the main data collection techniques that comprise a typical mixed methods study (interviews, document reviews, focus groups, standardized questionnaires, and statistical analysis of administrative data). Using case studies drawn from research and evaluations over the past 30 thirty years, I will illustrate several models of mixed methods to support idea revision and to create a coherent “story”.


Target audience
The seminar is intended to benefit undergraduate and graduate students in the social sciences as well as possibly offer a refresher for more experienced researchers.


Prerequisites
Familiarity with the elements of qualitative and quantitative methods will allow participants to benefit from the material.


About the Presenter
Gregory Mason (www.gregorymason.ca) is an economist who has managed dozens of social research projects and program evaluations. Past projects have included questionnaires designed for the evaluation of the National Child Benefit, Labour Market Development Agreements, health evaluations, and market research studies. This seminar will use case studies of evaluations and market research from the last 30 years to demonstrate mixed methods in action.
 

Who we are

Staff

Executive Director

Dr. Ardith McGeown Plant

As the Executive Director, Dr. Ardith McGeown Plant brings extensive work experience in public education and post-secondary education, with a focus on research and policy analysis, including leadership and management roles in the public sector and not-for-profit organizations.

Prior to joining the CSSRP, Ardith was a Senior Research Associate, Education and Skills with The Conference Board of Canada. She has also worked as a Consultant for the Commission on K-12 Education in Manitoba and a Researcher with the School Matters Project with the Manitoba Department of Education. In addition, Ardith serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Winnipeg, where she teaches courses in public administration, public policy and research design. 

Academic Director

Dr. Royce Koop
Political Studies

Dr. Royce Koop is a Professor in the Department of Political Studies and Coordinator of the Canadian Studies program. He joined CSSRP as Academic Director in 2021. Dr. Koop is a keen user of a range of methodologies in his research in Political Science, from participant observation, to interviews, to original surveys and statistical analysis. He also contributes to public discourse on policy issues in Manitoba and Canada through regular commentary in the media as well as analysis columns in the Winnipeg Free Press.

The position is held by a full-time faculty member with an established reputation in social science research methodology and policy development. The Academic Director is appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts. The term of the Academic Director is normally five years, renewable. The roles and responsibilities of the Academic Director include, but are not limited to: overseeing all activities of the CSSRP; liaise with internal and external stakeholders; planning and budgeting of resources; coordinate with other administrators and leaders toward collaboration efforts especially in regard to training, professional development, and research initiatives; and develop educational courses/materials to meet Faculty curriculum goals.

Researchers

Sana Amjad, Qualtrics / Survey Designer

Sana is a research driven economist and public policy leader with more than 12 years of experience in public service and humanitarian aid work. As a researcher, Sana conducts projects based on evidence-based assessments, surveys, public consultations, cost benefit analysis and impact evaluations. Being proficient in quantitative data analysis, she utilizes data informed techniques to provide recommendations that could help improve vulnerable communities in Canada. Sana is a strong education professional with a MA in Economics and currently pursuing a PhD in Community Health Science with a focus on families with a low income.  In addition to her position with the CSSRP, Sana works for the Province of Manitoba.

Steven Nuss, Quantitative Researcher

Holding a Master of Arts from Simon Fraser University, Steven Nuss (he/him) has experience and leadership in academia, strategic policy development, advocacy and government relations and strategic communications and stakeholder engagement. Steven’s work focusses broadly on Canadian institutions, political behaviour and quantitative methodology including experience in a variety of statistical software. In addition to "crunching the numbers," he also has a keen ability to have them make sense to a wider audience through developing and delivering workshops for the CSSRP.

Zoë St. Aubin, Qualitative Researcher and Analyst

Zoë is a PhD student in Sociology at UM and a recipient of a doctoral SSHRC grant for her research project. She has a comprehensive understanding of qualitative and mixed methods research and possesses strong analytical and communication skills. Zoë has extensive experience designing research studies, submitting ethics applications, data instrument design and collection, and producing research reports. Throughout her career as a freelance researcher Zoë has gained in-depth experience working with a variety of stakeholders to complete research projects in numerous sectors. She enjoys every aspect of the research process and aims to continue to apply her skills as a researcher as part of a collaborative effort to inform policies and practices that best support and strengthen communities.
 

Community Engagement Coordinator

Kayla Kasian

Kayla is a recent UM graduate with a Bachelor of Recreation Management and Community Development. She is responsible for assisting the Director with organizing all CSSRP events and workshops, by coordinating promotional materials, outreach to community groups and managing social media.

Board and affiliates

Advisory Board

The CSSRP Advisory Board provides consultations for the Academic Director on matters relating to the operation and governance of the CSSRP.

The board consists of nine faculty members appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts. Board members normally serve three years.

The composition of the committee reflects the diversity of the social sciences in the Faculty of Arts, not just with respect to its departments and units, but also to its research methodologies and perspectives.

Dr. Kathleen Buddle
Anthropology

Dr. Laura Funk
Sociology and Criminology

Dr. Danielle Gaucher
Psychology

Dr. Jesse Hajer
Economics/Labour Studies

Dr. Steve Lecce
Political Studies

Dr. Veronica Loureiro-Rodriguez
Linguistics

Dr. Gregory Mason
Economics

Dr. Melanie Soderstrom
Psychology

Dr. Lori Wilkinson
Sociology and Criminology

Research Affiliates (Faculty of Arts)

Jason Edgerton
Sociology and Criminology
Youth mental health; youth substance and behavioural additions; education and work; social determinants of health; quantitative research methods

Laura Funk
Sociology and Criminology
Aging and social determinants; paid and unpaid care work; death and dying; qualitative and interpretive methods

Jesse Hajer
Economics
Labour Studies
Social impact bonds; the political economy of social policy, privatization and financialization; the social economy and community economic development; the political economy of Manitoba

Verònica Rodriguez-Loureiro
Linguistics
Language contact; code-switching; Spanish as a heritage language; global hip hop

Kathrine Starzyk
Psychology
Reconcilization; solidarity; intergroup relations; collective action; personality; psychometrics

Roberta Woodgate
Sociology and Criminology
Psychology
College of Nursing
Addressing the needs and improving the well-being of underserved youth and their families undergoing challenging life events, including studies investigating the experiences and solutions for youth transitioning through vulnerable contexts. 

Research Affiliates (other faculties/disciplines)

Sarah Cooper
Faculty of Architecture
Department of City Planning
Housing security and the policy structures that shape access to housing and housing security. Areas of interest: housing, social policy, community planning, Indigenous planning.

David Delay
Faculty of Social Work
Violence in intimate relationships; social work practices addressing mental health; contemplative practices and their application in social work education and professional practice; the demand side of sexual exploitation.

Emme Pijl
College of Nursing
Clinical and social value of harm reduction programs for people engaging in problematic substance use. Social policy and perspectives on harm reduction for substance use disorders.

Rusty Souleymanov
Faculty of Social Work
Department of Community Health Sciences
HIV/AIDS community-based research; queer and trans men's health; racial, ethnic, and cultural disparities and health; critical social work and public health.

Kendra Nixon
Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE)
Family violence; gender-based violence.

Lindsay Larios
Faculty of Social Work
Citizenship and immigration in the Canadian context, in particular, as it intersects with family and reproductive politics and policies. Her most recent work focuses on the politics of pregnancy and childbirth and precarious migration as an issue of reproductive justice.

Ee-Seul Yoon
Faculty of Education
Department of Educational Administration, Foundations & Psychology
How the marketization and privatization of education impact equity, diversity, decolonization, and inclusion in Canadian education systems. Examinations of the multiple inequities facing diverse learners with disadvantages in settler-colonial society in the era of neoliberalism. 

Meagan King
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Department of Animal Science
Improving the health and well-being of humans and animals. Relationships between farm management, farmer well-being and cow welfare on dairy farms in western Canada and Ontario.
 

Research Affiliate FAQ

  1. Can students become research affiliates?

    At this time, students do not qualify to become research affiliates. Student fees for all training programs and workshops are already discounted. If students wish to access Qualtrics, they must be sponsored by a faculty member who is a Research Affiliate.

  2. Can non-UM faculty become a research affiliate?

    Yes! Non-UM faculty can become CSSRP research affiliates that are external to the University. External research affiliates, however, do not qualify for use of Qualtrics, but they enjoy all of the additional benefits of membership.

  3. Can non-academic community members become research affiliates?

    Yes and No. Organizations can become community affiliates, but individuals without an academic affiliation cannot become members. There is an annual fee for membership, which is based on a sliding scale depending on the size of organization and whether it is a not-for-profit or for-profit organization. Email cssrp@umanitoba.ca for more information.

Research consultation and assistance

Services offered and fees

Our staff and affiliates have extensive experience with a number of different research methodologies and are able to assist with tasks including:

  • Conceptualization/research design
  • Instrument design
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Reporting
  • Research mobilization

We are committed to community based research that can inform and shape policies, particularly focusing on people and populations that are often overlooked. We have strong relations with researchers who work with arts-based methods and Indigenous methodologies. 

We provide methodological assistance to communities internal and external to UM with the objective of:

  • Improving the quality of program implementation
  • Promoting the collection and use of program impact data
  • Fostering proactive planning for long-term program sustainability

Examples of services include:

  • Sample and instrument design
  • Assisting with database creation and translating the numbers into narratives
  • Funding applications
  • Ethics applications
  • Formative or program evaluation
  • Data analysis in quantitative and qualitative analyses
  • One-off or ongoing consultation

News

Donations

CSSRP gratefully accepts donations from individuals, corporations and other organizations which help support its vision, goals and objectives. Donors will receive a receipt for income tax purposes.

Donate to CSSRP

For more information on making a donation to CSSRP, please contact donor.relations@umanitoba.ca

Contact us

Centre for Social Science Research and Policy
Room 201 Isbister Building
183 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

204-474-6407