| CSSI News and Opportunities | Dear CSSI Community,
This fall has been full and productive at CSSI, marked by expanding initiatives and meaningful collaborations across campus. We look forward to building on this progress in the year ahead. As you read this newsletter, please take a moment to review the announcement regarding a potential institutional membership in a consortium connected to a Federal Statistical Research Data Center — an opportunity currently being explored in partnership with the Office of the Vice President for Research.
Sincerely,
Mark Berg
Director, Center for Social Science Innovation
Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology  | | | | CSSI seeks tenure-track faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to apply for its Faculty Research Fellowship. Fellows receive one course buyout, a $1,000 credit toward CSSI research services, and an office at the Social Sciences Research Building to collaborate closely with CSSI staff.
Apply by Jan. 12, 2026. | | | CSSI and the Office of the Vice President for Research are exploring the renewal of an institutional membership with the Central Plains Federal Statistical Research Data Center. The membership would provide UI researchers access to a wide range of restricted-use federal datasets at the Iowa Federal Statistical Research Data Center in Ames.
Learn more about the membership and submit an interest form by Jan. 31, 2026.
| | | | The Office of the Vice President for Research invites nominations for 2026 awards for scholars from a wide range of disciplines who have:
- achieved national recognition for research and scholarship;
- disseminated research to broad public audiences;
- advanced research safety;
- administered and coordinated complex research programs; and
- mentored the next generation of researchers, scholars, and artists.
Submit your nominations by Jan. 12, 2026. | | | David Greenwood-Sanchez, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, is working on a series of nationally representative surveys that aim to capture the practices and motivations of front yard gardeners. He wants to know where the line is between plants that are acceptable and unacceptable so he can inform change.
Read our feature on David Greenwood-Sanchez. | | | |
Through a partnership with the Injury Prevention Research Center, Ann Saba recently joined CSSI as a research engagement specialist. Ann assists with advancing the visibility of social science research at the University of Iowa through strategic research dissemination. She collaborates with CSSI research affiliates and partners, crafts compelling narratives that highlight CSSI research and collaborations, and supports the center’s outreach initiatives.
| | | CSSI is preparing to deploy its next survey to a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults. For just $200 per question, you can join the survey and get actionable insights on your research topic of interest. Demographic questions are included in all data.
Plant your questions today and watch your research grow.
The next survey is anticipated to deploy by Jan. 23, 2026. | | | | Through Write on Target, CSSI hosts weekly 90-minute writing sessions that provide a structured and distraction-free environment to draft research manuscripts. Writing sessions are hosted on the following days and times:
- Wednesdays, 9:30-11:00 AM
- Thursdays, 2:00-3:30 PM
Planning on a grant proposal in the spring semester? Enroll in our Grant Writers Circle. | | | Research Support Acknowledgements | We are proud to see CSSI recognized in these recent publications!
Beyond Locks and Lectures: What Rural Parents Think Would Be Effective Firearm Safety Messaging and Programming
Victor Soupene, Charles Jennissen, Nicholas Stange, Pam Hoogerwerf, Cassidy Branch, and Marc Doobay
"Support for focus group facilitation, transcription, and coding was provided by the Center for Social Science Innovation at the University of Iowa."
Vaccine Conspiracy Belief and Vaccine Hesitancy: The Mediating Role of Trust in Institutions and Moderating Role of Issue Involvement
Bingbing Zhang
"This study was supported by the University of Iowa Center for Social Science Innovation through the Grant Writing Residency Program."
In Tap We (Dis)Trust: Why Customers Choose Bottled Water
Samantha Zuhlke, Melissa Walker, Ted Corrigan, and David M. Cwiertny
"Also, thanks to Ethan Rogers and the Center for Social Science Innovation's Write on Target program."
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