Institute for Social Research

Resources for Research

The Institute for Social Research offers resources and expertise that support researchers across U-M and beyond. We support researchers with access to datasets, training, pilot funding, and high-quality data collection. Email Research Administration at ISR.

Pilot Funding & Education

ISR connects researchers to essential training and education that build core skills in research design, data analysis, and survey methods.

Training & Degree Programs

Graduates from ISR training and educational programs work in leading tech companies, corporations, research institutions, and government agencies.

Pilot Funding Opportunities

ISR offers pilot funding and educational resources to help researchers move from early ideas to competitive proposals. Junior faculty may benefit from ISR funding opportunities such as seed funding, pilot awards, and grants that may provide salary support. Funding opportunities include: 

Fellowship programs at ISR

Research Services & Support

ISR offers support across the full research lifecycle including study design, data collection, methodology consulting and technical computing support.

Labs

ISR houses specialty labs that support hands-on research needs, including biospecimen collection and storage, dedicated space for focus groups, and environments for studying day-to-day activities (e.g., a kitchen-style lab for testing prosthetic limb designs). Labs include:

Local, National, and International Data Collection

  • Survey Research Operations
    End-to-end data collection support, from web-based forms to in-person interviewing, including biological specimen collection.
  • International Research Unit
    Partners globally across the survey lifecycle, supporting RFP development, project design, sampling, technical systems, interviewer recruitment and training, and data collection.

Methodology, Design, and Technical Support

  • CSCAR @ ISR
    Provides general statistical consulting services to students, faculty, and staff, as well as more specialized consulting on specific topics.
  • Statistical Design Group
    Consultation on statistical design and survey methodology for prospective, newly funded, or ongoing survey data collections (weekly appointments available).
  • Population Dynamics and Health Program (PDHP) Scientific and Technical Core
    Supports PDHP affiliates and others designing, creating, and using new data to advance population science, including methods support and technical guidance for computing.
  • Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN)
    Makes U.S. Census data accessible and usable for policymakers, educators, media, and informed citizens.
  • Development Economics @ Michigan (MDEV)
    Advances research on poverty reduction and human well-being in developing countries (led by ISR affiliate Dean Yang).
  • International Research Hub
    Consultation and support to launch new international research collaborations and help researchers navigate project-specific solutions to changing policies related to conducting research work outside of the U.S.

Coming Soon

  • National Survey Panel (launching fall 2026)
    Will enable U-M students and faculty to field questions on a nationally distributed survey or within Michigan.

Data Repositories & Services

ISR provides access to data resources that help answer big questions about people and communities over time. Many ISR datasets are:

  • Longitudinal (following individuals, families, or cohorts across years)
  • Geocoded (linked to identifiable places such as cities and neighborhoods)
  • Linkable to administrative sources (e.g., Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, National Death Index) through secure ISR data enclaves

These capabilities enable research across economics, health, aging, education, climate and weather impacts, neighborhoods, and more.

Data Management and Sharing Services

ISR offers numerous data management and sharing services that fulfill federal and foundation funder requirements, manage data sharing and usage tracking, and track publications that use your data. Restricted-use data services, data management plans, and grant budgeting assistance are also available. Our data-sharing systems have achieved FISMA Moderate compliance.

Major ISR Data Resources

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