Announcements

Lindsey Witt-Swanson – Candidate for Associate Secretary-Treasurer

admin

Lindsey Witt-Swanson has been with the Bureau of Sociological Research (BOSR) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln for ten years. As the Associate Directors, Lindsey assists clients and researchers with their research and evaluation projects, ensures that BOSR is utilizing the most up-to-date methods and knowledgeable of changes in the field, oversees BOSR’s staff of 125 employees, and is responsible for BOSR’s financial health and growth. Lindsey currently serves as the Communication Coordinator for the Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations (AASRO) and co-treasurer for the International Field Directors and Technologies Conference (IFD&TC). Lindsey has been a member of AAPOR and MAPOR since joining BOSR. Lindsey received her BA in Political Science at Creighton University and her MS in Survey Research and Methodology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Lindsey has been an at-large council member for MAPOR since 2019, and has been serving as the Secretary-Treasurer for MAPOR since the position was vacated in April 2021.

Justine Bulgar-Medina – Candidate for Vice President/President-Elect

admin

Justine Bulgar-Medina is a research methodologist at NORC and teaches graduate courses in research methods and public policy at Northwestern.  Her research and work focus on innovative measurement approaches to social identities, specifically sexual orientation/gender identity and race/ethnicity, with a focus on cultural competence and reducing measurement error. 

Justine has been an active AAPOR and MAPOR member for several years, taking on leadership roles with AAPOR starting in 2015 by serving as the chair of the AAPOR Welcoming Committee (2015-2021) and Chair and Associate Chair of the Conference Support Committee (2017-present).  Additionally, she serves on AAPOR’s Inclusion & Equity Committee.  Since 2018, Justine as served on the MAPOR council as the Commnications Coordinator.  Justine has greatly enjoyed all volunteer and leadership opportunities at AAPOR and MAPOR.  She is hopeful to continue to serve the MAPOR community as with focused programming and opportunities for established and new(er) MAPORites to become involved in our professional community as Vice President/President-Elect.   

Benjamin Schapiro – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

admin

 Benjamin Schapiro is a Research Analyst at NORC at the University of Chicago. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he came to survey research via the University of Chicago Survey Lab, where he worked as a phone interviewer and research assistant. Since 2014, he has worked at NORC, primarily as part of the General Social Survey, where his work focuses on the lived experience of the interview, as well as the intricacies of large-scale complex survey research. While at NORC, he has done work for the Templeton Religious Trust and the Quatari Science Ministry, as well as the International Social Survey Programme. Benjamin currently serves as a co-chair for the AAPOR Welcoming Committee, aiming at facilitating the best possible conference experiences for new members. He has attended MAPOR since 2013, and been a proud member his whole professional career.

Y. Patrick Hsieh – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

admin

Y. Patrick Hsieh is a research survey methodologist and digital sociologist in the Survey Research Division at the RTI International. His expertise includes developing mixed-method research, designing social media campaign for sample recruitment, and integrating digital technologies and technology-enabled research practices, such as crowdsourcing and citizen science, into survey methodology to improve research design and data quality. Patrick has served on the MAPOR Council as the webinar series coordinator since 2016 and is a member of MAPOR Conference Committee since 2018. He also assisted the AAPOR Education Committee’s Diversity Subcommittee to organize and host the very first SurveyFest in Chicago in 2018. Patrick earned his Ph.D. in media, technology, and society at Northwestern University’s School of Communication in 2014, prior to joining RTI International. Patrick’s dissertation has won the best student paper award of MAPOR in 2013 and he has been attending MAPOR since then.

MAPOR Council Public Meeting Minutes– July 2021

admin

MAPOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA

July 19, 2021

12:30 – 2:00 CST/1:30 pm – 3:00pm EST

Zoom invite

MAPOR MOMENT of the MONTH:  Our MAPOR Moment of the Month goes to John Stevenson. Crushing it with those sponsors!

Attendees: Patrick, Dana, John, Lindsey, Ned, Hillary, David, Kevin, Justine, Evgenia, Bob, Sara and Leah

Agenda:

  1. Approval of last meeting’s minutes

Minutes approved.

  1. 2021 Conference             (David, Leah)
    1. Updates

We have about 50 abstract submissions. An email was sent to Friends of MAPOR two weeks ago and AAPORnet last week. David is planning to send one more email to each group again. Dana gave guidance on abstract review and grouping into sessions. David and Kevin will walk through the space later this week. David will also send a short survey in August to better understand the virtual/in person mix and hotel block needs. David will ask the hotel what food opportunities are available with COVID in mind. Other COVID related matters were also discussed, but more will be decided closer to the conference. 

  1. Member Survey (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary, Evgenia)
    1. Are we done with this item?

Done. 

  1. Treasurer’s Report                 (Lindsey, Kevin)
    1. Updates

Lindsey will update the membership information with new AAPOR members and one new MAPOR member. She will also reconcile the AAPOR payments with the number of members received through AAPOR. Lindsey will create a new event in CVent for the conference.

Checking: $31,267.71

Savings: $46,969.65

  1. Communications                     (Justine)
    1. Updates

Justine has posted four to five times on social media about the conference. The summer newsletter is out. The group discussed doing a mini-newsletter with conference information and light-hearted stories that would go out a couple weeks before the hotel block opens up. 

  1. Website                             (Patrick, Dana, Hillary)
    1. Updates

Nothing new to report.

  1. Webinars           (Patrick, Lindsey)
    1. Ideas for webinar in  October
    2. update on new tech/methods for fall?

Patrick will have ideas next month.

  1. Sponsorship           (John, Bob, Dana)
    1. Updates

John gave the update of 14 yes’s, 1 likely, and a few no’s. John has received $11,950 so far in sponsorship commitments and payments. All but one sponsor from last year are sponsoring again this year. The one hold out may still do so. John just has not heard back from them.  

  1. Student Fellowship Program     (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
    1. newsletter item for fall
    2. conversations with mentors/mentees 

The committee will follow up with the mentors and mentees in December. Dana asked Evgenia to write a newsletter story about this program. Dana wants to showcase the program during the awards ceremony. Evgenia will ask the students currently participating if they will participate in a couple of student-focused events during the conference, so they can discuss the program with other students in an informal setting. 

  1. Colleague/student support grant (Ned, Dana)
    1. Updates

No applications have been received yet, but expecting them to come in in September. 

  1. Student/Early career programs                             (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
    1. thoughts on travel grants?
    2. [ideas of spending funds not earmarked as operational reserves to expand reach to students and early career folks (reduce costs for short course, webinar, registration; conference travel awards)] 

Agreed to focus on the colleague/student support grant this year, and work on a travel grant next year. 

  1. Outreach committee             (Evgenia, Bob, David)
    1. Updates on outreach (Evgenia)
    2. Updates on mixer in WI 
    3. [Ideas for this committee to discuss:
      1. Mixers
      2. First time attendee retention
      3. reach out to professors: this is what we can offer to your students
      4. Focus on outreach to departments, schools and organizations we don’t see at MAPOR]

Wisconsin asked to wait on the mixer until the spring semester. Evgenia sent emails to academia. The group discussed trying to do a mixer in Nebraska with UNL and Gallup. Lindsey will plant some seeds. There is interest in doing a mixer in Chicago during the AAPOR meeting. 

  1. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)
    1. What has been process in past, and what do we want for future? Let’s generate ideas and Ned, Dana, and Kevin will discuss offline.

Ned explained the nomination process used while he was president, and proposed a new approach mimicking sports hall of fame processes with a long and then short ballot. Ned will reach out to fellows to help with this. The group proposed ideas including a rubric looking at number of years as a member, served as an officer, supports/ed students, and other contributions to MAPOR. Sara raised the need to include people of color and women in the pipeline to fellowship.

  1. Other committees that will have work at a later date/next council:
    1. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)
    2. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)
    3. Bylaws update (TBD)
  1. Other business?                                                                                                        

Committee Composition

  1. Conference (Sara, Ned, Dana, David, Leah)
  2. Sponsorship (John and Bob)
  3. Webinar (Patrick, Lindsey)
  4. Website (Patrick, Hillary, Dana)
  5. Communications (Justine)
  6. Sec-treas support (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary)
  7. Student Fellowship Program (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
  8. Student/Early career programs  (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
  9. Colleague grants/tiered registration (Ned, Dana)
  10. Outreach committee (Evgenia, Lindsey, Bob, David)
  11. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)
  12. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)
  13. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)

Council members

President – Dana Garbarski

Vice President – Kevin Ulrich

Past President – Ned English

Conference Chair – David Sterrett

Associate Conference Chair – Leah Dean

Secretary-Treasurer – Lindsey Witt-Swanson 

Associate Secretary-Treasurer – Vacant

Members at Large – Bob Davis, Hillary Hanson, Ed Ledek, Sara Walsh 

Sponsorship Coordinator – John Stevenson 

Webinar and Website Coordinator – Patrick Hsieh

Communications Chair – Justine Bulgar-Medina

Student Liaison- Evgenia Kapousouz

GO MAPOR GO!

MAPOR Council Public Meeting Minutes– June 2021

admin

MAPOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA

June 21 2021

12:30 – 2:00 CST/1:30 pm – 3:00pm EST

Zoom invite

MAPOR MOMENT of the MONTH:  Our MAPOR Moment of the Month goes to Leah Dean. Congrats to Leah on the birth of her beautiful baby! 

Attendees: Kevin, Evgenia, Lindsey, Ned, John, Bob, Hillary, David, Leah, Sara, Patrick, and Justine, 

Agenda:

  1. Approval of last meeting’s minutes
    1. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1piGCn1L-MKRmYiO36uospCWx0dK4w_e-/view?usp=sharing 

Approved

  1. 2021 Conference             (David, Leah)
    1. Updates

Twelve abstracts have been submitted. The abstract deadline will get extended a couple weeks. Then, they will do more communication around it. Will do a survey of members in August or September to see what the in-person/remote split looks like. Embassy Suites is going to keep the same room rates as is in the contract ($224/night for a king, $254/night for two doubles). The goal is as much in person as possible. David will go to Embassy Suites to check out the meeting room set-ups and tech. 

  1. Member Survey (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary, Evgenia)
    1. Any discussion of results?

Lindsey went through the results in the newsletter.

  1. Treasurer’s Report                 (Lindsey, Kevin)
    1. Updates

Checking: $28,712.02

Savings: $46,969.23

We received $1,100 from AAPOR for MAPOR memberships paid through AAPOR.

  1. Communications                     (Justine)
    1. Updates

Justine sent out the newsletter this morning. She will be working on conference communications. Will play up the in-person conference format with a virtual option. Bob shared an issue some PAPOR members had in getting funding to attend the in-person conference because there was also a virtual option. There was a lot of discussion about whether or not to plan on the virtual option and the language around that.  

  1. Website                             (Patrick, Dana, Hillary)
    1. Updates

Things are good at this point. 

  1. Webinars           (Patrick, Lindsey)
    1. Ideas for webinar in  October

Patrick wants to look at new technologies and/or methods for the fall webinar.

  1. Sponsorship           (John, Bob, Dana)
    1. Updates

They have eight yes’s and two or three likely’s. Already have $2,000 in payments. John will send Lindsey an email to send out to the Friends of MAPOR group. John will email sponsors this fall for graphics and such. One potential silver sponsor has asked for two free registrations instead of one. They have sponsored for years, so the decision was made to give them two free registrations for just this year. 

  1. Student Fellowship Program     (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
    1. Updates: Dana checked in, all going well from both students’ and mentors’ perspectives!

Evgenia suggested something in the newsletter or a mini-session about the program and how it went the first year in hopes of getting more people interested. Kevin would also like to have individual conversations with everyone involved. 

  1. Colleague/student support grant (Ned, Dana)
    1. Updates: released with call for participation, no applications yet.
  1. Student/Early career programs                             (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
    1. Updates
    2. [ideas of spending funds not earmarked as operational reserves to expand reach to students and early career folks (reduce costs for short course, webinar, registration; conference travel awards)] 

They will circle back to travel grants now that we know that the conference will be in person.

  1. Outreach committee             (Evgenia, Bob, David)
    1. Updates
    2. [Ideas for this committee to discuss:
      1. Mixers
      2. First time attendee retention
      3. reach out to professors: this is what we can offer to your students
      4. Focus on outreach to departments, schools and organizations we don’t see at MAPOR]

Evgenia sent emails out to students, professors, and others that work at universities last week with advantages of attending the conference. She would also like to reach out to businesses with the early career awards in mind, but is not sure who to send these emails to. David suggested reaching out to MAPOR cheerleaders, including current and former council members and fellows. This week, Evgenia will reach out to folks who have not attended the conference in the past. 

Discussed trying to do a MAPOR mixer in Wisconsin. John will look at their union space.

  1. Other committees that will have work at a later date/next council:
    1. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)
    2. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)
    3. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)
    4. Bylaws update (TBD)
  1. Other business?                                                                                                        

Committee Composition

  1. Conference (Sara, Ned, Dana, David, Leah)
  2. Sponsorship (John and Bob)
  3. Webinar (Patrick, Lindsey)
  4. Website (Patrick, Hillary, Dana)
  5. Communications (Justine)
  6. Sec-treas support (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary)
  7. Student Fellowship Program (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
  8. Student/Early career programs  (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
  9. Colleague grants/tiered registration (Ned, Dana)
  10. Outreach committee (Evgenia, Lindsey, Bob, David)
  11. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)
  12. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)
  13. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)

Council members

President – Dana Garbarski

Vice President – Kevin Ulrich

Past President – Ned English

Conference Chair – David Sterrett

Associate Conference Chair – Leah Dean

Secretary-Treasurer – Lindsey Witt-Swanson 

Associate Secretary-Treasurer – Vacant

Members at Large – Bob Davis, Hillary Hanson, Ed Ledek, Sara Walsh 

Sponsorship Coordinator – John Stevenson 

Webinar and Website Coordinator – Patrick Hsieh

Communications Chair – Justine Bulgar-Medina

Student Liaison- Evgenia Kapousouz

GO MAPOR GO!

MAPOR Council Public Meeting Minutes– May 2021

admin

MAPOR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA

May 17, 2021

12:30 – 2:00 CST/1:30 pm – 3:00pm EST

Zoom invite

MAPOR MOMENT of the MONTH:  Our MAPOR Moment of the Month goes to David Sterrett and Leah Dean for getting our calls for participation drafted and circulated later this week!

Attendees: Dana, Kevin, Lindsey, Hillary, David, Ned, Sara, Patrick, Justine and John

Agenda:

  1. Approval of last meeting’s minutes
    1. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aKjWOR68Hbgu1Q_-N53pf-xq54jyi_Rm/view?usp=sharing 

Approved 

  1. 2021 Conference             (David, Leah)
    1. Updates

Kevin, Lindsey, and David will meet 5/17 to wrap up the CVENT piece. Then, David will send a test email. David plans to send the email middle of the week. Abstracts are due July 2nd. David received generally excited feedback during AAPOR about MAPOR being an in-person conference. The keynote speakers are onboard. David is thinking about an in-person dry run in the hotel during the Council’s September meeting. 

  1. Member Survey (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary, Evgenia)
    1. Updates

Evgenia sent out the results. Lindsey will write-up the newsletter article this week. David is going to look at the conference-specific data.

  1. Treasurer’s Report                 (Lindsay, Kevin)
    1. Updates

Checking: $27,149.35

Savings: $46,968.87

  1. Communications                     (Justine)
    1. Updates

We got a lot of engagements on the newsletter! Justine is getting ready for the summer newsletter. Key people already know what they need to provide for the summer newsletter. She wants to get it out early June. We may want to do a pull-out around the July survey. Also, she wants to share information about the conference structure so they hear it from us.

  1. Website                             (Patrick, Dana, Hillary)
    1. Updates

Dana has been updating the call for participation and student paper.

  1. Webinars           (Patrick, Lindsey)
    1. April Webinar update
    2. Ideas for webinar in  October

We had a good turnout for the April webinar. 50-some registered, 27 attended, 13 people watched the recording. The April webinar lasted passed the one hour mark. A first! Patrick thinks there a good number of people/opportunities from AAPOR for the October webinar.  

  1. Sponsorship           (John, Bob, Dana)
    1. Updates

John will send out requests for money next week to past sponsors and blasts to distribution lists (AAPOR, MAPOR, AASRO). John is also putting together an instruction manual for future past presidents. John will copy Dana on sponsor request emails for continuity next year.

  1. Student Fellowship Program     (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
    1. Updates 

Dana will reach out to the fellows and students next week to see how everything is going.

  1. Colleague/student support grant (Ned, Dana)
    1. Draft student and colleague support award applications, to be released around the time of the MAPOR call for abstracts https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u6KfOImBSttf86a1_uQsVCX4Yl4onDcjKPwdr_FSM4M/edit?usp=sharing 
    2. [tiered conference registration]

Dana wrapped up the language and added it to the website under opportunities for support. It will also be linked to the call for abstracts to start advertising.

  1. Student/Early career programs                             (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
    1. Updates
    2. [ideas of spending funds not earmarked as operational reserves to expand reach to students and early career folks (reduce costs for short course, webinar, registration; conference travel awards)] 

Most of it will be for the conference. Have not met about this yet.

  1. Outreach committee             (Evgenia, Bob, David)
    1. Updates
    2. [Ideas for this committee to discuss:
      1. Mixers
      2. First time attendee retention
      3. reach out to professors: this is what we can offer to your students
      4. Focus on outreach to departments, schools and organizations we don’t see at MAPOR]

Evgenia will send emails to professors at universities she has identified after the call for participation has gone out. 

  1. Other committees that will have work at a later date/next council:
    1. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)

They will put together the criteria.

  1. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)

Justine has ideas based on the AAPOR Speed Networking. 

  1. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)
  2. Bylaws update (TBD)
  1. Other business?                                                                                                        

Committee Composition

  1. Conference (Sara, Ned, Dana, David, Leah)
  2. Sponsorship (John and Bob)
  3. Webinar (Patrick, Lindsey)
  4. Website (Patrick, Hillary, Dana)
  5. Communications (Justine)
  6. Sec-treas support (Lindsey, Kevin, Hillary)
  7. Student Fellowship Program (Ned, Dana, Evgenia)
  8. Student/Early career programs  (Ned, Dana, Evgenia, Leah)
  9. Colleague grants/tiered registration (Ned, Dana)
  10. Outreach committee (Evgenia, Lindsey, Bob, David)
  11. MAPOR Fellow nomination criteria (Ned, Dana)
  12. Speed Networking (Ned, Justine)
  13. MAPOR conference attendee Code of Conduct (TBD)

Council members

President – Dana Garbarski

Vice President – Kevin Ulrich

Past President – Ned English

Conference Chair – David Sterrett

Associate Conference Chair – Leah Dean

Secretary-Treasurer – Lindsey Witt-Swanson 

Associate Secretary-Treasurer – Vacant

Members at Large – Bob Davis, Hillary Hanson, Ed Ledek, Sara Walsh 

Sponsorship Coordinator – John Stevenson 

Webinar and Website Coordinator – Patrick Hsieh

Communications Chair – Justine Bulgar-Medina

Student Liaison- Evgenia Kapousouz

GO MAPOR GO!

MAPOR Support Grants

admin

MAPOR Council will be offering two types of support grants for our 2026 Annual Conference: MAPOR Student Support Grant and MAPOR Colleague Support Grant. Please see details for each below.

(1) MAPOR’s Student Support Grant is intended to help students offset their expenses to attend the annual MAPOR Conference. The Council may award grants up to $500, depending on a student applicant’s needs while considering others’ applications for travel grants and the awards budget.

Student applicants do not need to be a current MAPOR member. However, they are expected to join by the time of the Conference in November.

An applicant must:

  • Be a currently enrolled student
  • Be willing to attend the Keynote Address, Pedagogy Hour, and additional networking events that may be held during the Conference

Priority will be given to:

  • 2026 MAPOR Student Fellows
  • Students who will not be able to attend the Conference without MAPOR support
  • Students participating in the Conference by presenting a paper or poster, co-authoring a paper, or moderating a session

Requirements for a complete application:

  • a cover letter that briefly details participation at the upcoming MAPOR Conference;
  • estimated expenses for attendance;
  • how much (if any) their university will contribute to the student’s Conference expenses.
  • a letter of support (300 words maximum) from a faculty or staff member explaining why the applicant merits an award and how Conference attendance will enhance the applicant’s career in survey research or public opinion research.

Application Deadline:

To be considered for a Student Support Grant, the application and letter of support should be emailed to Paul DiPerna (paul@edchoice.org) no later than October 15, 2026.

(2) MAPOR’s Colleague Support Grant is intended to help people – working in any sector of survey research or public opinion research – offset their expenses to attend the annual MAPOR Conference. This award is meant for those who would not be able to attend the Conference without supplemental funding from MAPOR. The Council may award grants up to $500, depending on an applicant’s needs while considering others’ applications for travel grants and the awards budget.

Applicants do not need to be a current MAPOR member. However, they are expected to join by the time of the Conference in November.

An applicant must:

  • Currently work for pay (full-time or part-time) and have primary work responsibilities related to survey research or public opinion research
  • Be willing to attend the Keynote Address, Pedagogy Hour, and additional networking events that may be held during the Conference

Priority will be given to:

  • Applicants who will not be able to attend the Conference without MAPOR support
  • Applicants participating in the Conference by presenting a paper or poster, co-authoring a paper, or moderating a session

Requirements for a complete application:

  • a cover letter that briefly details participation at the upcoming MAPOR Conference and explain how attendance at the Conference will enhance the applicant’s career in survey research or public opinion research;
  • estimated expenses for attendance;
  • how much (if any) their employer will contribute to the applicant’s Conference expenses.

Application Process:

To be considered for a Colleague Support Grant, the application should be emailed to Paul DiPerna (paul@edchoice.org) no later than October 15, 2026.

2021 Annual Conference

admin

46th Annual Conference 

November 19-20, 2021

Held at the Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown (600 N. State Street) and Virtually (accessible via internet connection)

The Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research’s annual conference welcomes abstract submissions on any topic related to public opinion research, communication, or survey research methodology. This year, we are accepting submissions for the following types of presentations: papers, methodological briefs, posters, and panels of papers. We are particularly interested in papers that relate to our conference theme:

Reconnecting and Reevaluating: Assessing the Foundations and Future of Public Opinion Research

This year’s conference theme focuses on the MAPOR community’s chance to come together to reexamine survey, communication, and public opinion research. The 2021 conference provides an opportunity to explore what traditional methods, theories, and principles remain valid and which need further evolution and innovation during this period of significant societal change.  

Conference Program is available here