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Research Methods Centre
A collection of books from the School of Government and International Affairs

Research Theme 1

Theme 1: Designing novel methods to tackle complex real-world challenges
Whether it is health, climate, or the economy, we live in a world of increasingly complexity that requires sophisticated methods to help people make informed and timely decisions about real-world challenges. Most of these methods, particularly in combination, remain outside the reach of social and health services, business and industry and government.
 
The DRMC will address these challenges by designing rigorous techniques, toolkits, and platforms that interface with real-world challenges so users can maximize impact and insight and deliver safe, transparent, accountable, equitable, timely decisions and inferences. Innovations will range from software and online apps to visualisation templates and evaluation toolkits to decision protocols and methods standards. We are focused on three areas:
 
FOCUS 1: Developing decision-support tools
FOCUS 2: Designing methods for complex evaluation
FOCUS 3: Advancing the field of biostatistics

 

Current projects linked to this theme involving our DRMC team include:

FOCUS 1: Developing Decision-support Tools 

  • COMPLEX-IT: software for nonexpert usage of computational modelling.
  • CONSULT: The Complexity Navigator for Sustainable Development – a collaboration between DRMC and the Polder Simulation Center, University of Amsterdam.
  • Data visualisation and visual complexity. 

 FOCUS 2: Designing Methods for Complex Evaluation 

  • AM-Smart: Approachable and smart methods.
  • CECAN: pioneering, testing, and promoting innovative policy evaluation approaches based on the tools of complexity science.
  • Co-produced research to explore qualitative data.
  • Treatment effect heterogeneity.
  • Causal inference (decisions and inferences with observational data in diff-in-diff and trials with informative allocation).
  • InSPIRE: A research driven policy consortium for mitigating the impact places have on air quality and brain health.  

FOCUS 3: Advancing the Field of Biostatistics 

  • Support Research Design Service North East.
  • Radiation protection (incl. dosimetry), collaboration agreement with Public Health England.
  • New statistical methodology for clinical trials and the evaluation of health interventions.
  • Methods for genetics data analyses of human and non-human species.