Directory

Sarah Nusser , PhD & Director
2625 North Loop Drive, Suite 2140
Building 2
Phone: 515-294-5242
Fax: 515-294-2456
nusser@iastate.edu

The Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM) came into existence as the Survey Section of the Statistical Laboratory in 1938 as a result of a cooperative agreement between the Statistical Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Initial work under this agreement led to the development of the Master Sample of Agriculture, a national area sample of land which was subsequently utilized in numerous economic surveys of American agriculture. Research was also conducted that provided the foundation for area sampling methods and statistical estimation for sample surveys.

CSSM has continued to develop expertise in the technical and operational aspects of sample surveys. The current mission of CSSM is:

To conduct research in the area of survey sample design, estimation, and data analysis.

To teach academic courses in survey sampling and topics related to survey statistics.

To provide support and operational services in the areas of design and selection of samples, construction of questionnaires and related forms, data collection, data processing, estimation, and analysis.