[CTPP] Census News Brief

[Ed Christopher]

PRESIDENT TO NOMINATE ROBERT M. GROVES TO BE CENSUS DIRECTOR

President Obama is expected today to nominate Dr. Robert M. Groves, 
Director of the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, 
Institute for Social Research, since 2001, to be director of the U.S. 
Census Bureau.

Dr. Groves, also a research professor at the University of Maryland, 
holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology (Dartmouth College), Master 
of Arts degrees in statistics and sociology (University of Michigan), 
and a doctorate in sociology (University of Michigan).  He headed the 
Joint Program in Survey Methodology (University of Maryland/University 
of Michigan/Westat) from 1996-2001, and has been a visiting statistician 
and researcher at the U.S. Census Bureau.

Dr. Groves received the National Association for Business Economics 2008 
Julius Shiskin Memorial Award for Economic Statistics, in recognition of 
“innovative statistical research” that has improved the quality of 
household and business surveys in the areas of sample design, data 
collection methods, effects of nonresponse, and other factors that 
affect data quality.  The award is given in recognition of “unusually 
original and important contributions in the development of economic 
statistics or in the use of statistics in interpreting the economy.”

The nominee is widely published as the author or co-author of numerous 
books, monographs, journal articles, and book chapters, with an emphasis 
on survey methodology and design.  He has received numerous awards and 
honors for his research and scientific developments and is a Fellow of 
the American Statistical Association.  Dr. Groves has assisted a wide 
range of government agencies (in the U.S. and abroad), universities and 
research organizations, and polling firms with survey design.  He also 
has served on numerous advisory boards and National Research Council 
(National Academy of Sciences) panels (he currently chairs a panel 
reviewing Bureau of Justice Statistics programs).

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, led 
by Chairman Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Ranking Member Susan Collins 
(R-ME), will consider the nomination, which requires Senate 
confirmation.  Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE) and Sen. John McCain are the 
chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the committee’s 
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
Federal Services, and International Security, which has jurisdiction 
over Census Bureau programs.


Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, an independent 
legislative and policy consultant working with a wide range of census 
stakeholders to promote an accurate 2010 census.  All views expressed in 
the News Briefs are solely those of the author.  Please direct questions 
about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at 
TerriAnn2K at aol.com.  Please feel free to circulate this document to 
other interested individuals and organizations and to reprint any or all 
of the information. Previous Census News Briefs are posted on the Census 
Project web site, at www.thecensusproject.org.

-- 
Ed Christopher
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708-574-8131 (cell)

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