Data is central to scientific research, especially as the digital revolution enables researchers from across fields to collect, analyze and distribute troves of data in ever-more sophisticated ways. Scholars in virtually every discipline, including those at UW–Madison, can now harness innovative statistics and data science approaches to answer questions like “Why do birds make so many different sounds?” and “What makes Bach sound like Bach?”
The widespread availability of useful data means that statisticians and data scientists are in high demand across university campuses. Researchers need help making sense of their data through advanced statistical techniques, tailored to their specific datasets. At UW–Madison, that’s where the Statistical Consulting Group comes in. For decades, the Consulting Group—comprised of Department of Statistics faculty, staff and graduate students—has partnered with researchers around the university to provide comprehensive statistical support and data expertise.
“Our group supports any researcher on campus, from drafting grant proposals to analyzing data to navigating reviewer feedback,” said Nicholas Keuler, Statistics teaching faculty and manager of the Consulting Group. It’s rewarding work, he added. “We’re on the cutting edge, among the first to know a new piece of information before it’s released to the world.”
Studying the digital divide
In one recent collaboration, Statistics PhD Student and Consulting Group project assistant Steven Moen teamed up with researchers from the Department of Life Sciences Communication, Assistant Professor Kaiping Chen and PhD student Ashley Cate. Their project explored how government funding for broadband in Wisconsin affects the actual adoption of broadband, particularly in rural communities. They found that funding alone does not necessarily lead to increased broadband subscription rates. The paper—published in the journal Information, Communication & Society—employed data analysis methods, such as Granger causality analysis, that made it helpful to have a statistician like Moen on board.
“Steven had experience analyzing this type of data, and he dove right into learning about the project, consulting on the analysis, and collaborating throughout the preparation and submission of the final manuscript,” Cate said. “The statistical expertise and collaborative spirit that Steven brought to this project was invaluable.”
Upon publication, Cate, Moen, and Chen also made their datasets and methods easily accessible for other researchers to use in the future. “My hope is that other states could reproduce our analysis within weeks, not years, of work,” he added, “so that’s something that I am proud to have been a part of as a statistician.”
Through this project, the Statistical Consulting Group is carrying out the Wisconsin Idea, helping to uncover persistent disparities in statewide internet access so policymakers and community groups can find new ways to narrow Wisconsin’s digital divide.
‘Something different every day’
The group has contributed to countless fascinating projects over the years, Keuler noted. “The reason I love this job is that it’s something different every day,” he said. “It could be a dairy science study or a study trying to figure out sexes of penguins,” he added.
Ajinkya Kokandakar, a Statistics PhD candidate and member of the Consulting Group, mentioned assisting on a study with a researcher in the Department of Food Science, Cameron Wicks, who was exploring how to create no-melt ice cream. He assisted with statistical analysis that wound up in Wicks’ PhD dissertation, he said. The effort showed that the Consulting Group is willing and able to assist with a wide array of research projects, whether for academic journals, dissertations or even master’s thesis research.
Joining these unique projects enables the Consulting Group’s researchers to step outside of their specializations, Kokandakar added. “As a PhD student, there is a tendency to over-specialize in one area of research,” he said. “This group helps to break out of that and develop a larger skill set.” This also enables the group to continually become more versatile, harnessing a variety of approaches to match their collaborators’ needs.
Not to mention, it can be just plain enjoyable for those who love data. “You get to play around with new datasets, and you get to see what other people are doing with statistics and data,” Kokandakar added.
Moen said that it is fulfilling to see how this work bolsters research coming out of UW–Madison more broadly.
“It’s tremendously rewarding to know our work is necessary and to make something tangibly, clearly better.”
Steven Moen
For more information about the Statistical Consulting Group, visit its webpage.
Read testimonials from other researchers who have worked with the Statistical Consulting Group.
To request a collaboration with the Statistical Consulting Group, fill out the request form.