Access and analyze
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(By Jeff Green, Office of Research)
Researchers will get a chance to dig deeper into data as part of an upcoming workshop at Memorial University.The Canadian Research Data Centre Network is hosting Opening Doors to Data, which includes programming, training and opportunities to learn more about secure Statistics Canada data and resources available at Memorial and across the country.
“This is a great opportunity for the curious amongst us — and we should all be curious! — to find out more about the university’s data holdings and learn more about how it can be accessed,” said Dr. Rick Audas, acting director of Memorial’s Research Data Centre and a professor of health statistics and economics in the Division of Population Health and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine.
In an effort to advance knowledge and inform public policy, the network provides access to in-depth Statistics Canada data at more than 30 campuses across the country. At Memorial University, access is via the Research Data Centre, located in the Queen Elizabeth II Library on the St. John’s campus.
The centre, accessible to researchers and students who have an approved project and security clearance, provides detailed microdata, including unaggregated survey data with individual, household or family data.
Workshop details
The free workshop takes place on Thursday, June 19, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in room 2028 in the Queen Elizabeth II Library.
More details, including how to register, are available online.
Dr. Audas and Alison Farrell, acting head and research data management librarian, Health Sciences Library, will be available during the session to answer Memorial-specific questions.
“Events like these are important for the university community because they showcase the rich plethora of nationally available data and resources, as well as highlight how university researchers can work with researchers from other industries, such as government, to develop policies and solutions to real-world problems,” Ms. Farrell said.
She adds that participants will also learn how to make their research data findable, accessible, interoperable and reuseable.
“Key takeaways will include learning how to access restricted datasets; how to use tools for working with sensitive and restricted data; and connecting with Memorial University contacts to get help with research data access and management.”
Cloud-based system
Plans are ramping up to provide virtual access to the Research Data Centre to researchers across Canada, which will be among the first in Canada to convert from a standalone server to a cloud-based system.
“For researchers, this transition means most research projects can be done without going into the Research Data Centre, which means 24/7 access for researchers wanting to use the centre,” noted Dr. Audas.
The centre is currently open three days a week during regular business hours. Given that many student researchers work and have busy class schedules, he says going virtual will provide a lot more access. He hopes the centre will be fully converted to the cloud-based system by late summer.
Big interest
Dr. Audas says researchers and students are interested in learning about data in a big way.
This past winter, the Division of Population Health and Applied Health Sciences offered a course called Big Data in Health Analytics, which was designed for students in the Master of Applied Health Services Research Program, but is open to any graduate student with an interest in using complex survey or other large data sets to conduct research in health, economic or social policy.
“The broad idea is to get students thinking about how they can use this data to address important research questions as part of a thesis, dissertation or capstone project,” said Dr. Audas.
He says the interest in the course, plus the workshop, helps bring attention to the valuable data housed in the Research Data Centre.
“Critically, the centre holds the confidential versions of all the de-identified survey data, which means that the most interesting information is provided in detail and that these files can potentially be linked over time to examine critical trends in social and economic policy,” noted Dr. Audas. “It’s the best source of information we have to understand the lives of Canadian residents better. It holds the evidence researchers and policy-makers need to make informed decisions and is a critical component in the portfolio of social science research at Memorial.”
Learn more about research at Memorial and check out Research Strategy 2023-28 to learn how we’re moving ideas forward.