Transitions, Tools & Techniques: Navigating Career Change and Elevating Practice in Survey Research
Friday, October 10th, 11am-12pm CT: Navigating Careers Pathways in Survey Research during a Shifting Job Market
Friday, October 24th, 12-1pm CT: Automating Repetitive Reports with Quarto
Friday, November 7th, 12-1pm CT: Level-Up Questionnaire Design
The Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research (MAPOR) is pleased to announce the Fall Webinar Series “Transitions, Tools & Techniques: Navigating Career Changes and Elevating Practice in Survey Research”. This three-part webinar series explores the evolving landscape of survey research through the lens of career transitions, emerging methodological tools, and advanced skill-building. The first session features a panel of researchers from across the professional spectrum sharing their experiences navigating a challenging job market, with a focus on resilience and upskilling. The second session introduces Quarto, an open-source tool for creating reproducible research workflows and reports. The final webinar offers strategies to enhance questionnaire design for improved data quality and respondent engagement. Whether you’re a student or working in government, academia, or applied research, this series offers timely insights and actionable techniques to support your professional growth.
This webinar is free for MAPOR members and all students.
Navigating Careers Pathways in Survey Research during a Shifting Job Market
Friday, October 10th, 12-1 Eastern/11-12 Central
In this panel discussion, three professionals share their personal journeys through career transitions amid layoffs and a shifting job market. Attendees will hear how each panelist adapted to change, identified opportunities, and upskilled to be competitive in the evolving research landscape. The conversation will highlight strategies for resilience, networking, and continuous learning in survey methodology and public opinion research.
 | Jason Brinkley is a biostatistician, data scientist, and health researcher who works out of the greater Raleigh, NC area. An NC State graduate, Brinkley has previously worked at East Carolina University, the American Institutes for Research, and Abt Global. He is currently Associate Professor of Biostatistics at Northwell Health. Brinkley is the 2025 Chair-Elect for the ASA Health Policy Statistics Section. In his spare time, he does his best to not lose at Mario Kart World to his four children. |
 | Dominique Foster is the Director of People Analytics Research at The Coca-Cola Company. Dom has a proven, varied background in organizational research and consulting applied across tech, academic, professional services, and consumer goods industries. Throughout his people analytics career, he has worked closely with business leaders and HR partners to identify and execute on analytics projects that help create, guide, or advance strategic efforts. Dom earned his Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from North Carolina State University, where he taught Leadership and HR Analytics courses at the undergraduate level in the Poole College of Management. He has also published research related to institutional transformation and psychological measurement development. He is based in Atlanta, GA, where he enjoys attending festivals, exploring new social scenes, practicing yoga, and ballroom dancing. |
 | Rohit Kandala is a Data Scientist at Harmony Labs who uses data to explore and explain complex social phenomena. Previously, he worked on the Harris Presidential Campaign’s Internal Polling Team, where he managed a survey, end-to-end, analyzing how recent news coverage shaped public perception and shifted the state of the race. He’s also worked as a Political Consultant where he managed large-scale digital advertising campaigns aimed at persuading and mobilizing voters. Rohit holds a Masters of Science from the University of Chicago in Computational Analysis and Public Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts in History, Philosophy, and Communications from the University of Connecticut. |
Automating Repetitive Reports with Quarto
Friday, October 24th, 1-2 Eastern/12-1 Central
Writing reports often means repeating the same tasks: copying results, updating text, and exporting to different formats. Quarto is a technical publishing tool that streamlines this process by combining text, code, and visuals together in one document. Instead of rewriting the same report with minor changes, you can generate multiple versions from a single template. In this webinar, we’ll walk through practical examples, such as client-specific reports and recurring updates, to show how Quarto helps you save time, reduce errors, and deliver consistent, professional reports.
 | Isabella C. Velásquez is a content strategist, data enthusiast, and author with a strong background in analytics and a passion for leveraging data to drive informed decision-making. She holds a Master’s degree in Analytics from the University of Chicago. In her current role as a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Posit Software (formerly RStudio), Isabella produces compelling content that effectively communicates how Posit products can address the needs of target audiences and enhance workflows. |
Level-Up Questionnaire Design
Friday, November 7th, 1-2 Eastern/12-1 Central
This webinar offers strategies to enhance questionnaire design for improved data quality and respondent engagement.
 | Allyson Holbrook is professor of public policy, management, and analytics and psychology (by courtesy) at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research and teaching are in the areas of research methods, data analysis, and public opinion research. She is a former MAPOR conference chair and president and a MAPOR Fellow. |