A New RECSM
In the previous story I concentrated on my hobby, skating, but there was of course more going on. RECSM had to be reorganized but personally more important was that Irmtraud had to cope with the change of her life after her serious operation. She needed a long time to adapt her way of life. When that was finally solved, we decided to go once more to a place we remembered as extremely special, interesting and nicely hot. So, early in the new year, we booked a trip to Bangkok in a hotel close to the most important temples. Of this trip I have made a video which gives a better impression of this special town than I could do in words. Therefore I add the video here for those who are interested in.
The coordination of RECSM
With my retirement from RECSM, Irmtraud also stopped to work for RECSM while Daniel had already left for a new job in the Netherlands. This meant that the different tasks had to be divided again so that RECSM could continue.
First of all the management of RECSM and the representation of RECSM in the central Coordinating team of the ESS had to be taken over by another person.
With general agreement Wiebke Weber took this task over from me. Besides that, she was also preparing her dissertation.
With my retirement from RECSM, Irmtraud also stopped to work for RECSM while Daniel had already left for a new job in the Netherlands. This meant that the different tasks had to be divided again so that RECSM could continue.
First of all the management of RECSM and the representation of RECSM in the central Coordinating team of the ESS had to be taken over by another person.
With general agreement Wiebke Weber took this task over from me. Besides that, she was also preparing her dissertation.
SERISS
Synergies for Europe’s Research Infrastructures in the Social Sciences (SERISS), brought together leading European Research Infrastructures in the social sciences to develop tools for cross national research. For the ESS Diana Zavala participated in this project.
Besides that, she was within the ESS involved in questionnaire design and the comparability of questions across countries. This topic was strongly related with the topic of her dissertation. I was happily surprised when she told me that she followed a master program in statistics at the UPC next to her daily work.
Synergies for Europe’s Research Infrastructures in the Social Sciences (SERISS), brought together leading European Research Infrastructures in the social sciences to develop tools for cross national research. For the ESS Diana Zavala participated in this project.
Besides that, she was within the ESS involved in questionnaire design and the comparability of questions across countries. This topic was strongly related with the topic of her dissertation. I was happily surprised when she told me that she followed a master program in statistics at the UPC next to her daily work.
Cooperation with NETQUEST
For some time I had discussed with the board members of web panel company NETQUEST about joint research. In the end it was decided that Melanie would create research projects with them which were useful for them and for us. This was a very attractive way for RECSM to get familiar with this new development. It led to a lot of new publications related with web surveys. In the end it also contributed to a successful application of a big European research grant for Melanie for further research in this field.
For some time I had discussed with the board members of web panel company NETQUEST about joint research. In the end it was decided that Melanie would create research projects with them which were useful for them and for us. This was a very attractive way for RECSM to get familiar with this new development. It led to a lot of new publications related with web surveys. In the end it also contributed to a successful application of a big European research grant for Melanie for further research in this field.
Further development of SQP
RECSM also needed a new colleague who could play a role in the further development and the application of SQP. We came in contact with Anna Decastellarnau who was busy to finish her master at the UPF. She became our first Spanish/Catalan team member. Because she was not familiar with our work, she needed some guidance to become familiar with the statistical aspects of our work. Because all the others had a fulltime job, I offered to introduce her in the statistical aspects of our work. Next she made under my supervision a short computer assisted instruction how SQP could be used to correct for measurement errors in survey research.
RECSM also needed a new colleague who could play a role in the further development and the application of SQP. We came in contact with Anna Decastellarnau who was busy to finish her master at the UPF. She became our first Spanish/Catalan team member. Because she was not familiar with our work, she needed some guidance to become familiar with the statistical aspects of our work. Because all the others had a fulltime job, I offered to introduce her in the statistical aspects of our work. Next she made under my supervision a short computer assisted instruction how SQP could be used to correct for measurement errors in survey research.
What else did I do?
Besides the work I did together with Anna, I was also supervising the dissertations of people who worked at RECSM. In most cases I was not the only supervisor. Often the supervision of the substantial part was done by another member of the faculty but I was looking at the models and analyses they did. This task I have done for Wiebke (2015), Diana (2017), Paolo Moncagatta (2016) and Andrej Pirralha (2017). The latter two had been very helpful in the past in organizing the ESRA conferences and with coding of the ESS questions for SQP.
Besides the work I did together with Anna, I was also supervising the dissertations of people who worked at RECSM. In most cases I was not the only supervisor. Often the supervision of the substantial part was done by another member of the faculty but I was looking at the models and analyses they did. This task I have done for Wiebke (2015), Diana (2017), Paolo Moncagatta (2016) and Andrej Pirralha (2017). The latter two had been very helpful in the past in organizing the ESRA conferences and with coding of the ESS questions for SQP.
The women took over
Although people complain that women get less chances than men in society and in science as well , I show here the opposite can happen. In the new RECSM, the men had no fixed jobs anymore, the woman had taken over the organization. We, men were only allowed as visitors as you can see in the picture below.
The male guests in this female dominated organization are from left to right:
Paolo , Laur Lilleoja , Herik Dobewall, Andre and me
Although people complain that women get less chances than men in society and in science as well , I show here the opposite can happen. In the new RECSM, the men had no fixed jobs anymore, the woman had taken over the organization. We, men were only allowed as visitors as you can see in the picture below.
The male guests in this female dominated organization are from left to right:
Paolo , Laur Lilleoja , Herik Dobewall, Andre and me