Census Bureau News -- Cornell University Professor Abowd Named to Lead Census Bureau Research and Methodology Directorate
Cornell University Professor Abowd Named to Lead Census Bureau Research and Methodology Directorate
NEWS RELEASE:CB15-207
DEC. 10, 2015— Cornell University professor John M. Abowd
will join the U.S. Census Bureau through an interagency personnel agreement as
the new associate director for research and methodology and chief scientist,
Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson announced today. The appointment will be
effective June 1, 2016.
“I’m thrilled to have Dr. Abowd coming on board to help lead critical
work to modernize the Census Bureau’s operations and products,” Thompson said.
“John is an internationally renowned scholar and a great addition to lead our
research and methodology efforts. His research on privacy and statistical
disclosure limitation are particularly relevant as we work to improve the
utility of our data products to our users and honor our commitment to maintain
the confidentiality of the data American people and businesses provide us.”
Abowd joined the faculty of Cornell University’s School of Industrial
and Labor Relations in 1987. He is currently the Edmund Ezra Day Professor of
economics, statistics and information science. He began his long association
with the Census Bureau in 1998 when he joined the team of distinguished senior
research fellows that helped found the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics
program. He has served continuously since 1998 as a scientific adviser to that
program and others at the bureau. Since 2011, he has been the principal
investigator for the Cornell University node of the National Science
Foundation-Census Research Network and co-principal investigator of its
coordinating office.
Abowd is a fellow and past president of the Society of Labor
Economists. He is also a fellow of the American Statistical Association and the
Econometric Society, as well as an elected member of the International
Statistical Institute. He currently serves on the National Research Council’s Committee
on National Statistics and the American Economic Association’s Committee on Economic
Statistics.
“This is a period of enormous methodological challenges for the Census
Bureau and all national statistical agencies that will require innovative
redesign and reengineering of the bureau’s flagship activities,” Abowd said. “I
am excited to join Director John Thompson, Deputy Director Nancy Potok and the
associate directors in marshaling the bureau’s talented scientific
professionals to meet these challenges.”
The associate director for research and methodology leads a directorate
of research centers, each devoted to domains of investigation important to the
future of social and economic statistics. In that regard, the position leads
key capacities for innovation across all statistical programs of the Census
Bureau. The Research and Methodology Directorate includes the Center for
Adaptive Design, Center for Administrative Records Research and Applications,
Center for Disclosure Avoidance Research, Center for Economic Studies, Center
for Statistical Research and Methodology, Center for Survey Measurement and the
new Center for Big Data Research and Applications.