CSCAR@ISR now accepting appointments from students, staff, and faculty
August 3, 2026
ANN ARBOR — Statistical consulting services are now available for faculty, staff, and students from across all three U-M campuses through CSCAR@ISR, a new incarnation of a longstanding Michigan resource now based at the Institute for Social Research (ISR).
Modeled on what was formerly known as the Consulting for Statistics, Computing, and Analytics Research unit, or CSCAR, CSCAR@ISR’s services are intended for researchers seeking answers from data they may not have the skills or expertise necessary to collect or analyze. Statistical consultants CSCAR@ISR can guide researchers as they design studies or use quantitative or qualitative data to answer clearly defined research questions.
“Statistical consultants provide clear and actionable guidance, allowing researchers to carry out their analyses of interest or develop well-designed research studies,” said Brady West, director and ISR faculty lead of CSCAR@ISR.
West believes CSCAR@ISR’s services will be of particular interest to graduate students. A partnership would allow students taking on challenging design and analysis tasks as they work on their dissertations or research projects to access support from statistical experts — without overburdening their own advisors.
CSCAR has long been a popular resource at U-M with a legacy dating back decades. Originally launched as the Statistical Research Laboratory in the 1940s, the new incarnation exists to serve departments from all corners of Michigan’s campuses in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint. Now working together with faculty, staff, and graduate students at the statistics and biostatistics departments on campus, CSCAR@ISR will benefit from access to some of the world’s leading quantitative and qualitative researchers, in addition to ISR’s existing collaborative partnerships with other departments on the U-M campus.
CSCAR@ISR is now taking appointments via its website (cscar.isr.umich.edu) or via email at [email protected].
“We look forward to providing a high-quality and helpful statistical consulting service that easily adapts to the many incredible research projects being conducted at this wonderful university,” said West.
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected])